The Man behind the Screen
by Liv Cassidy
Summary: Olivia Benson wants nothing more than to find "Mr. Right." Against her better judgment, she takes a desperate move: she joins a dating site. Will she finally be united with her true love, or will she only have her heart broken again?
1. Chapter 1

The Man behind the Screen

What was she doing? Olivia Benson had worked cyber-crimes in the past, and she'd seen what had happened to her captain. She of all people was aware of the risks. Olivia Benson also understood her captain's need for companionship. She was approaching forty-five years old, after all. Her biological clock was running out. If she ever planned on having a family, she needed to act fast. She longed so much for love. Anything was worth a shot.

She sat on her bed with her laptop that night she created her first legit online dating account. To online daters, she would be known as "Apple Pie." She wasn't very creative with usernames and had taken the delectable dessert's name from the sign in her kitchen. Safety first: she did not want to reveal her real name to the public.

She uploaded a recent picture and sat stupefied at her profile, trying to find the perfect words to describe herself. First things first, she did not want to reveal that she was a police officer. If she were targeted by a bad guy, she did not want to give him a red flag.

Her fingers trembled as she filled out her 'about me' section, being careful not to reveal too much personal information.

_I'm a career-orientated, strong woman who's still looking for "Mr. Right." _

She looked at the line she'd written and was satisfied with how she'd described herself. There was no better way to describe herself. Sure, she could write an essay for the stalkers to read, but she decided against it.

Next, she decided to answer some match questions so the website could pair her with men who might be potential matches.

"What kind of questions are these?" she muttered out loud, reading the third question that came across her screen:

_How often do you masturbate? _

That was a personal question that was no one's business, if you asked her. She skipped the question. No stranger needed to know that she relieved herself of sexual tension every night before bed. That was between her and her body.

_What's worse on the first date? No physical attraction or nothing to talk about?_

Well, they were both pretty damn bad. How could she choose just one? She selected no physical attraction. At least if there was nothing to talk about and they were physically attracted, she could just jump in bed with him and all their problems would be solved.

As she thought that, she felt like a slut.

_Divide your age by 2. Have you slept with that many people?_

"Damn," she said to herself. They were going to make her count? She was positive that she had not slept with at least twenty-two men. She found herself counting just to make sure, though, and let out a sigh of relief when she realized she'd truly only had sex with nine men in her entire life. She hadn't even reached double digits! Hopefully she wasn't forgetting anyone.

She proudly selected no.

"Congratulations, you've answered 10 match questions!" read on the banner at the top of the page, and Olivia was tired of answering questions for the night. She closed the laptop and set it on her nightstand. She ran across the room to turn off the lights and crawled back into bed, ready to relieve herself of the day's stress.

* * *

Olivia didn't have time to check and see if she'd received any messages on the website before going to work, so she figured she'd sneak a peek at her inbox on her desktop at work. She was first to arrive in the squad room that morning, which was a normal occurrence.

She scrolled through her inbox, impressed with the amount of messages she'd received. There were ten messages, and nine of them simply read something along the lines of "Hey" or "Hey sexy" or "U r hot." She found those messages profoundly annoying and pointless, thus she skipped over them. Where was she supposed to go with that type of message, anyway? If the men weren't going to make an effort to initiate a true conversation with her, then why should she bother?

Only one message stuck out. The man's username was "LostandHopless".

_Hey, there. I don't suppose a beautiful woman like yourself would be interested in me, but I thought I'd take a shot at messaging you. I'd love to chat more. Feel free to look over my profile and if you want to give me a chance, feel free to message me back! _

She clicked on his profile and immediately was disappointed when she noticed he did not have a profile picture. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to completely shut him out because of this fact. After all, she was hesitant to post her photo online. There were so many creepers out there, and it was not hard to download a photo off the internet. The idea of some stranger having her photo on his computer freaked her out. Surely, there were just as many creepy women out there, too.

Olivia immediately jumped to his 'about me' section:

_I would describe myself as an honest, hard-working guy. I've been divorced for almost a year and want to take a hand at this 'dating' game again. Please don't let this turn you away. I'm a father, so keep that in mind if you're interested in me. I love my kids to death and have joint custody with my ex. I'm being upfront about my situation because I figure if you message me knowing my background, then you're truly worth my time. If you want to see a photo, just ask. I don't want my ex-wife to know I'm here. _

She swallowed hard, hesitant to reply. The man was divorced, so that should be a red flag right away, right? Then again, she was in her mid-forties. It would be hard at this time in her life to find a man who hadn't been through at least one divorce in his life.

And he had kids. Surely, the same applied. She wanted to be a mother, but she had never considered what it would be like to be a step-mother. What if the children hated her? Was she prepared to deal with that?

Despite her hesitance, she went back to her messages and began typing into the message box.

_Hey there. I was wondering if you could send me a photo so I could see what you look like. Thanks! _

As she the send button, she looked up to see Nick Amaro standing behind her computer screen, staring directly into her eyes.

"Whatcha doin', Olivia?" he inquired, sipping on his morning coffee.

"Just checking my email," she said quickly, closing her web browser as Nick walked behind her, heading toward his own desk. She couldn't help but notice him glance at her computer screen. She moved her mouse over the email icon and double clicked.

"Oh, really?"

She could not help to notice that Nick was suspicious, but what she did in her personal life was none of his business, nor was it anyone's in the precinct. She'd been intently looking at the screen and he'd surely noticed that her email wasn't open yet. He was inclined to be suspicious.

Olivia decided would just have to be more careful about checking her online account at work. Olivia did not want to hear her colleagues' opinions on where she chose to find dates.

Don, John, Fin, and Amanda all walked into the precinct together. Olivia was set for a day a long day on the job. In the back of her mind, she would be wondering if LostandHopeless had messaged her back. Maybe she could peek at her messages later.

* * *

**Author's Note: Like? Hate? Let me know! This idea just randomly came to me while I was procrastinating. By the way, the questions used were taken directly off OKCupid. Rated T for now, may have to raise later. Depends what I feel like doing. (: (PS: Anyone else hate the fact that M rated stories are automatically hidden by the site? There needs to be an option to make them visible by default!) **


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later Olivia was sitting in the passenger's seat as Amanda drove. She wasn't yet accustomed to being partnered with another woman. Amanda was great and all—young, beautiful, and strong. In fact, she reminded Olivia of a younger version of her sometimes. After the run-in with Nick this morning, Olivia wasn't too disappointed to not be sharing a vehicle with Amaro.

"Turn right," she told Amanda. Rollins had been in the city for over a year now, but she still relied on her partners for directions. Olivia wasn't too fond of driving anyway. She had been spoiled for twelve years with Elliot; he always insisted on driving. Nick was the same way. It was a "man" thing. Men liked to in the driver's seat, and Olivia never complained.

She was fiddling with her phone while giving Rollins directions to the apartment complex that they'd been called to check out. There had been a 9-1-1 call from a little girl saying that her dad hurting her mom. Cases that involved children were always the most heartbreaking.

Olivia had just gotten a new iPhone about a month ago and wasn't completely familiar with her new phone. She hadn't really taken the time to learn more about the apps that came with it and could be downloaded on the app store. All she needed to know was how to text and call. Today she found herself checking out the app store. She'd read something about an app for the site she'd been on earlier. If she had the app, she figured, then she wouldn't have to bring the site up on her work computer, and she could respond to messages while on the go.

She typed "FindCupid" in the app store's search space. Sure enough, there was a free application available for her phone. She was quick to download the app.

"Is this the place?" Amanda asked just as the application had finished installing.

Olivia looked from her phone and realized this was their destination.

"Yeah, this is the place." Olivia put her phone in her pocket, deciding to check her messages after investigating the scene of the alleged crime.

Rollins parked the car and the two female detectives exited the vehicle. They entered the apartment complex. The little girl had said she lived on the third floor of the apartment complex. Olivia and Amanda bucketed up the stairs. When a child might be in danger, they couldn't waste time.

Olivia pounded on the door. "Police, open up!"

The door cracked open and a small auburn-haired girl stood in front of the detectives.

"Hi, sweetie. I'm Olivia, and this is my partner Amanda. What's your name?"

"I'm Maggie," the little girl said. "My mommy and daddy are in the bedroom with the door shut. Mommy's been screaming. I called 9-1-1 like she told me to do if anyone was ever in danger. I didn't go in because I was scared."

"Maggie, where's the bedroom?" Amanda asked.

Maggie pointed down the hallway. She let the detectives in the apartment and they walked toward the bedroom door. Amanda knocked on the bedroom door. "Police, we're coming in."

"NO!" a man yelled. "Not yet!"

"You leave us no choice," Olivia said, motioning Maggie to stay back. She turned the door handle and opened the bedroom door to find an unclothed woman sitting on the bed. She was reaching for her undies on the ground. The man had already begun putting on his jeans.

"What are you doing here?" the woman gasped.

"Maggie called 9-1-1. She said she believed her daddy was hurting her mommy," Amanda informed the couple.

Olivia stared at the shocked woman. "Is this true?"

"Absolutely not!" both the man and woman cried.

"Look, we were making love…sometimes we get a little rough. We didn't realize we were that loud. God, I'm so humiliated," the man told the detectives.

"We didn't know she could hear us," the woman confirmed her husband's story as she put on a T-shirt.

"That's real responsible: making love when your young daughter is in the next room? You couldn't wait for a better time?" Amanda asked.

"You don't have children, do you?" the man shot at Detective Rollins.

"No, no I don't," Amanda sighed. She turned to Olivia, "Well, I think our work here is done. Let's go. There doesn't appear to be a crime here. Unless having sex while your kid is in the same apartment is a crime, and if that's the case, most American parents would be in violation."

"You're right. We owe you an apology, Mr. and Mrs. – " she realized they hadn't gotten their names.

"Aldridge," the woman finished. "Now shoo."

"Mommy, are you okay?" Maggie stood next to the detectives. Her parents were both now fully clothed.

"Honey, it's okay. Daddy didn't hurt me," the mother told her child soothingly.

"Go, now," the man reiterated toward the detectives.

"Okay, we're leaving now. Nice meeting you, Maggie," Olivia said, waving at the little girl who waved goodbye. The detectives left the apartment and returned to their vehicle.

"God, who would have guessed?" Amanda released a loud sigh.

"Who the hell has rough sex with a kid in the next room in broad daylight?" Olivia shook her head, the nerve of some people.

"Obviously, only parents," Amanda said. "Hell, if I ever have kids, I know I wouldn't. The idea is too disturbing."

"Eh, we'll get them next time when the little girl decides to open the door. There's no lock on that bedroom door, I checked." She pulled her phone out as Amanda started driving back to the precinct. There was a notification on her screen from the app she'd downloaded before entering the apartment to discover the unthinkable.

Her heart was racing when she opened the application to see she had a message from the man she'd messaged earlier.

_I can do better. Want to meet me for dinner tonight?_

Her gut tightened, and she responded before she could think twice.

_I'd still like to see a photo…otherwise, how am I going to know who I'm meeting?_

"Who are you texting?" Amanda asked.

"Nobody," Olivia rushed to answer.

She pressed send, and only a few moments later her phone vibrated with a response. He was online then.

_You'll know it's me when you see me. I promise. _

"Nobody replies pretty fast," Amanda noted. Olivia's face burned with embarrassment, letting the fact that she'd been busted slide. She wasn't obligated to explain anything to anyone, even if Amanda was her partner.

She felt slightly nervous by the fact that this man said that he would show a picture if she asked, but he was failing to follow through. She understood she was not obligated to reply to him, but something about him kept her typing.

_You said you'd show a pic if I asked, though_, she replied.

A few seconds later he replied, _What if I told you that you already know me and I'm afraid you won't agree to meet me if I reveal my identity to you on this site? Please, Olivia, meet me tonight for dinner. _

Shit just got real. She'd never told him her name.

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews last chapter! So y'all think you know who it is? Maybe you're right, maybe you're not. Time will tell. **** Still, I would be freaked out now if I were Liv! **


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia fell faint in her seat. Her vision blurred as countless theories ran through her head. What if this man was someone who she had arrested in the past? Surely, several criminals used match making services to find dates because no one in their real life would take them. Of course, Olivia had considered that when she'd joined the site, but she was hoping that wouldn't happen to her.

_Which one was it? _She'd arrested hundreds of perps over the past fourteen years. It could be any one of them. There was no possible way to narrow it down without a photo.

"Benson, are you all right? You look pale." Amanda said, pulling into the precinct parking lot.

"No, I don't think so," Olivia said ghastly. "Amanda, if I tell you something, can you promise not to say a word to anyone?"

"Well, you are talking to the right person if you want something to be kept a secret," Amanda said with a smile as she parked the vehicle. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Well," she took a deep breath, "Before when you asked me who I was texting, I was telling the truth. I wasn't texting anyone. I was…_messaging_…someone on a dating site that I recently joined."

Amanda smiled, chuckling. "Okay? And this is such a big secret, why? Trust me. I am pretty sure every single man and woman over the age of 25 has tried online dating at least once in today's day and age."

Olivia was perplexed by Amanda's implication that she, too, had tried online dating.

"So you..?"

"Yeah, I have a few accounts, went on a couple dates, and never had any success. Big surprise; my accounts are still open. I guess I'm still waiting for the right one to come along, but who isn't? I haven't had time to date recently, anyway.'

Olivia suddenly felt relieved talking to Amanda. She was glad she'd confessed to her instead of Nick. Nick would have hashed out every reason why online dating was a bad idea and how she should know better. Amanda at least could understand where she was coming from.

"I think I might be in danger," Olivia whispered, quivering, "and that's why I'm telling you this."

"You know you don't have to message anyone back, right? I mean, I've had plenty of creepers message me online, but I usually just ignore them, y' know? They don't know where you live, after all, unless you're dumb enough to tell them. That's why you meet in a public place."

"I'm not stupid," Olivia said, bluntly. "Believe me. I know, Rollins. I worked cyber-crimes in the past. I'm serious, this guy…he messaged me and when I asked for a photo, he refused. He said…he said that he _knows _me, and he's afraid that I will refuse to meet him if he shows me his photo. He…he…knows my name."

The smile on Amanda's face deteriorated and a concerned expression replaced it.

"Wait a minute. Do you think that maybe this is someone you have arrested in the past?"

"Took the thought right out of my mind," Olivia said.

Amanda's eyes widened. "You can't meet him," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You are not going to, right? He could be dangerous, like you said. If he won't show you a picture, then I would not meet him."

Olivia was silent as the two women remained seated in the vehicle.

"I don't know," Olivia said. "If he wants to try something, then we have to catch him, right? He'll be locked up again. I think I should play his game."

"You have a point, Liv. It's risky, but I can see where you are coming from. But you know I'm not going to let you go alone? If it's someone who's recently been released, he doesn't know me. Let me come along."

"I don't need protection, Rollins. I'm a big girl who can take care of herself," Olivia said sternly. In the back of her mind, she remembered the time she'd been undercover and was brutally attacked by a corrections officer. She pushed that thought out of her head. Surely, this man couldn't do real harm to her in a public place. "Besides, if he sees me with someone else, he might get suspicious…I've got to do this alone."

"Come on." Amanda Rollins was persistent. "I'll stay in the background and won't talk to you. I'll sit at a table by myself. If you're going to meet this crook, then at least have backup."

"We don't even know if he's bad yet," Olivia noted. "It could be an ex-boyfriend of mine or someone else…we really shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Benson, no offense, but you're the queen of jumping to conclusions. With online dating, you always have to jump to conclusions. I've read plenty of horror stories, and I don't want you to experience one."

Olivia knew that Amanda was right; she did jump to conclusions frequently, but that was part of her job. It was how she protected herself and the victims she advocated for.

"Okay, you can come along," Olivia sighed and added, "But."

"But?"

"But you are not coming in the same car as me. I'll give you the time and location and you cannot speak a word to anyone. Deal?"

"It's a deal. This might be fun: unofficial undercover work." Rollins smiled in a girlish fashion. She talked like they were teenagers again, and they were playing some sort of game. In a way, Amanda had become like Olivia's little sister over the past few months. Her precinct was her family, after all.

"Just not a word to anyone, okay." Olivia was persistent on no one else finding out about this. One, she didn't want to hear a lecture about using online dating sites. At least Amanda appeared to understand her. Two, she didn't want anyone else in the squad insisting on tagging along to make sure she was okay on her date. She was sure that Fin and Cragen in particular would be protective and want to ensure she was safe. At least there was a fair chance that whoever was behind the screen wouldn't recognize Amanda.

"Ditto."

The women exited the vehicle and made their way to the precinct. As Olivia was heading toward the elevator, she sent a quick reply to the man online.

_It's a date. Time and place?_

When they arrived in the precinct, Amaro was alone at his desk and Cragen was in his office. When Cragen saw the women enter the precinct, he opened his door. "Where have you two been?" he inquired in a boss-like fashion.

"Just went over to check on the 9-1-1 call that was sent in earlier. Turns out it was a false alarm; the parents were having rough adult fun and the little girl just heard the sounds," Rollins told the captain.

"And why didn't either of you report back on the call? I was beginning to wonder if there had been an accident at the amount of time you had taken!"

"That's what we're doing now," Olivia simply shrugged. "Don't worry, Dad, your little girls are all right."

Cragen looked suspiciously at Olivia. "Liv, may I have a word in my office?"

Olivia glanced at Amanda, who merely shrugged, and she sighed, "All right." She followed the captain into confided office. "What's this about, Captain?"

"Is everything all right, Liv?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Why?" Olivia was confused and concerned as to why Cragen would ask her such a question.

"Well, it's not like you not to report on your findings when you check out a place. Rollins is still relatively new to the squad, so I don't expect her to remember to follow through all the time. But, Liv, you've been here fourteen years…"

"…I slipped, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Care to tell me what you and Rollins were really doing during that time period?" She could tell her captain was suspicious that something was going on.

"We stopped for coffee and chatted. I realize we should have called you to report on the situation, but time just got away from us."

"Well, you know, because you didn't report, I sent Munch and Fin to the residence to check it out because I didn't know if you and Rollins had made it, and there was a kid involved…"

Olivia's jaw dropped. "You'll be hearing about that one if the parents file a complaint. They were pretty insistent about us leaving…this isn't good, Captain."

"I'll call them quick and tell them to cancel, if they already haven't entered the premise. One more thing, Liv…?"

"Yeah?"

"What was with the attitude earlier and calling me 'Dad'?"

"I guess…you're like a father to me, Captain…you are the only father I've ever known."

There was a warm, tearful face that glossed over Captain Cragen's eyes for a moment. She could tell that she'd touched his heart by saying those words.

"Liv, you know, if you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here."

"I know," she whispered, a scratch tickled against her throat.

He started dialing Munch and Fin, and Olivia felt her phone vibrate as she left Cragen's office.

_Pete's Tavern, 7 o'clock?_

She peered a glance at Amanda and replied, _It's a date._

* * *

_**Author's Note: **I really don't know how I managed this tonight as tired as I am. I hope you all enjoyed it. I promise you'll find out who the man behind the screen is in the next chapter. :)  
_


	4. Chapter 4

Olivia arrived at Pete's Tavern fifteen minutes early. She informed the waiter she was expecting a date. She hadn't been on a date like this since David, so she'd made sure to go all out. Her hair was in gorgeous brown waves. She wore her favorite black mascara. Her lips were dosed in cherry blossom lipstick. A solid foundation covered the small wrinkles that had begun to form across her forehead.

She'd left work around 3 p.m. because for a first time in ages the case load was down to zero. Cragen had managed to get in contact with Munch and Fin literally moments before they knocked on the apartment door. They'd returned to the precinct and were a little hostile toward Olivia. They would get over it, Olivia figured.

Maybe, just maybe, this would be the first date Olivia had gone on in ages that would not be interrupted with a case. What were the chances of that happening?

Olivia's heart raced as her eyes wandered around the restaurant scoping for a familiar face. Her head was loaded with images of every man she'd ever arrested.

What were the chances this person wasn't a criminal at all? Maybe, it was just an ex-boyfriend of hers who had been too nervous to reveal himself. What if it was David? David was in fact divorced, and he did have kids. However, he had been divorced for far longer than one year, so it couldn't be him.

She'd dated so few men in her life; it wasn't like the list was long. This shouldn't be so hard. It couldn't be Brian Cassidy. He had been undercover for five years, so surely he hadn't been divorced a year ago.

Then there was that bastard Dean Porter. She last saw him four years ago. Thus, it could be him, if he'd been married within the last three years, had kids, and gotten divorced. He never was talented with relationships, so she could believe it. Then again, what was she talking about? She knew that she herself wasn't very talented with relationships, either.

The first familiar face that caught the corner of her eye was Amanda Rollins. She was simply wearing jeans and a red plaid shirt. She did not stand out of the ordinary crowd. Rollins ensured sure to not make eye contact with her partner. She took a seat at the bar by herself. Olivia looked away and wondered where her own date was.

_He better not stand me up, _she thought to herself, thinking of all the trouble she'd gone to that night. That was the moment her heart skipped a beat.

It was a face she hadn't seen in over a year, but there he was just a few feet in front of her. Tall, dark, and handsome: just like he'd always been. His dazzling gorgeous blue eyes wandered around the restaurant looking for someone. She'd been so certain that she would never lay eyes on him again.

Then they met eyes, and he began walking toward her.

"Olivia, long-time-no-see," he smiled, and she suddenly felt the urge to smack him.

"Whose fault is that? What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, fuming. Her blood was bubbling inside her skin. _Long-time-no-see, seriously! Who does he think he is? _

"Well, what are you doing here?" Elliot Stabler asked with an underlying inquisitive tone. He added, "You look absolutely stunning, by the way. Are you here on a date, by chance?"

"What's it to you?"

"I thought your favorite pie was pumpkin," Elliot said, ignoring her question. Olivia inhaled a large breath of stale air. The man behind the screen had been Elliot all along. _Divorced with kids, _she should have known. Elliot's marriage had been rocky for years, though he always remained faithful. It really didn't surprise her that Kathy and Elliot had finally called it off for good. Yet, Elliot had never once bothered to respond to the dozens of voicemails she'd left. Then, he'd changed his number and failed to give her his new number.

"You know, you couldn't have thought of a better way to get back in contact with me, huh? Seriously, the day I joined that site, you messaged me. What the hell, were you stalking me or something, LostandHopeless?" She was furious, and that's when she saw Amanda shooting a glance at her and Elliot in her peripheral vision.

"I didn't know that was the first day you'd joined. Your photo just came up that night as I was looking at random profiles," Elliot took a seat across from her. "Liv, I knew you would be upset and would resent me. Too much time had passed by the time I was ready to face you. That's why I didn't try to contact you. But when I recognized your photo online, I knew I had to take a chance…"

"So you fucking _trick _me into seeing you? What the hell, El? Do you have any idea what was going through my mind with your behavior? Shit, I thought you were someone I arrested in the past who was trying to trick me!" Olivia's throat dried with the anger she felt throbbing throughout her veins. Her face burned and she felt sweat dripping from her forehead. Elliot was lucky she'd left her gun back at her place, because she would have gladly put a bullet in his head right now.

"I'm sorry, Liv, but it was the only way…"

"The _only _way, really, Elliot? You've got to be fucking kidding me! I wouldn't have been near as angry if you'd, I don't know, called me."

"You would have hung up on me," he said, quietly. He crossed his arms and muttered, "Maybe this was a mistake. I'm sorry, Olivia."

Amanda had noticed the anger in Olivia's face. She'd begun slowly walking toward Olivia a few minutes ago, though Olivia had been too busy fuming at Elliot to notice. Amanda tapped Olivia's shoulder, alarming Olivia so she flinched in her chair.

"Is everything okay over here?" Amanda asked, concernedly.

"I was just about to leave…" Elliot began, starting to stand.

"No, stay, Elliot," Olivia stopped him. She looked at Amanda and said, "There's no danger here, don't worry. I don't think you've been introduced to my former partner. This is Elliot Stabler, Amanda. Elliot, this is Detective Amanda Rollins, my current partner."

"Ah, so you're the notorious Elliot that I've heard so much about," Amanda said, extending her hand to shake Elliot's. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Elliot shook her hand briefly and then glanced at Olivia. "Oh, so you talk about me, huh?"

Olivia felt her cheeks get warmer as she blushed. "Uh, occasionally I guess."

Amanda laughed loudly. "It's more 'Elliot always did this…' and 'Elliot did that…' about every other sentence, you mean, Liv?"

Elliot raised a brow. "Is this true, Olivia?"

"Okay, so she's over-exaggerating just a bit," Olivia insisted. Amanda was quick to shake her head.

"Wait, so you were talking to your former partner online?" Amanda looked at Olivia.

"Appears so," Olivia responded.

"Wait, she knows?" Elliot asked, looking at Olivia. "Let me get this right, you brought your partner along in case you needed to arrest the guy you were meeting, is that so?" Olivia and Amanda met eyes. Both women shrugged and Elliot laughed. "Well, I'm glad that you're talking care of Olivia, Amanda. At least I know she's in good hands, even if they aren't mine." Elliot smiled warmly into Olivia's eyes. Olivia couldn't help but wonder what he meant by that.

"Well, I should be going," Amanda said quickly, looking at Olivia. "It looks like you're safe, and I'm glad. Have a good night. It was nice to meet you, Elliot." She smiled at Elliot and waved.

"Thanks for everything, Amanda." Olivia warmly smiled at her partner. She then turned her attention to Elliot and gazed into his eyes. They twinkled back at her. She couldn't remember at time that Elliot Stabler's eyes had looked so gorgeous. Was this a reality? Were they actually on an official date? She'd spent so much time dreaming about being with Elliot while they were partners, but she had long since come to a realization that it would never happen. Surely, Elliot was just taking advantage of the internet to get her to talk to him. He couldn't possibly share feelings for her. He just couldn't. It went against everything she'd forced herself to believe over the years. _But he's divorced now. Does that mean there's a chance for us now? _Even if there was a chance, was she willing to take it? He'd caused her to endure so much pain. How could she ever forgive him for that?

Just as Amanda had turned around, Olivia heard Rollins's phone ring. Her attention was brought off Elliot as she eavesdropped on her partner's phone conversation.

"Oh, my Gosh," Amanda said. "Benson and I will be there as soon as possible."

Olivia's heart sunk when she heard those words.

"What is it?" Olivia directed at Amanda.

"Liv, you're not gonna believe this…"

* * *

**Author's Note - Okay, so you guys had this story pegged from the beginning. Good job. And now I've left this chapter on a cliffhanger!**

**EDIT (10/21) - It's been brought to my attention by Cady James that David does in fact have kids. I thought he did, but I couldn't find any evidence online that supported that he did. So I began to wonder if it had actually been discussed in an episode, or if it was just part of someone's fanfiction story. (I've only seen part of season 13 and the only night USA replays those episodes is when I'm in class!) **


	5. Chapter 5

Olivia stared blankly into Amanda's alarmed blue eyes.

_Elliot comes back into my life after a year's absence, and we can't even have one drink before hell rises to the surface. _She'd had so many dates interrupted that she wasn't surprised. Then again, she wasn't even sure if she classified this as a date.

"Where are we going to?" Olivia asked Amanda, grabbing her purse and standing up. Elliot's eyes stayed on Olivia. Was that a disappointed frown?

"Mercy Hospital…"

"Wait," Elliot said, sliding off his chair and standing next to Olivia. "Let me come along. Please, Liv, for old time's sake."

"Elliot…" Olivia trailed softly. "You aren't my partner anymore. Amanda is."

"I know I'm not your partner anymore, but believe it or not, I miss the job. It was my life for so many years, and I'll never forget the time I spent at SVU. Please, let me come." He stared intently into his former partner's eyes. Olivia interpreted an underlying child's puppy dog look across his face. He curled his lip, waiting for Olivia's response.

Olivia looked at Amanda, seeking guidance in this predicament.

Amanda Rollins merely shrugged. "I don't see an issue here. Once an SVU detective, always an SVU detective! Besides, I think we're going to need all the support we can get on this one…"

Olivia placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Okay, then I guess you can come along, Stabler." She turned to Amanda as the three started their way outside toward the vehicle Amanda had driven to the restaurant. Olivia had taken a cab to the restaurant. Olivia was quick to take the front seat next to Amanda, leaving Elliot in the back. She didn't miss Elliot's glare at her as he got in the back seat.

"Who's the patient we're visiting?" Elliot tapped into Olivia's thoughts, since Amanda had neglected to inform Olivia the specific details of the case that interrupted Elliot's and her date. During the later years of their partnership, Elliot had always managed to steal the questions right from her thoughts. After twelve years of working together, they had developed a sort of "tunnel" that connected their thoughts. That alone was a sign that they'd spent far too many hours together.

"Liv and I have already met her," Amanda began, and those were the words that changed everything. "Liv, it's the little girl who called 911 earlier and whose apartment we went to."

"What?" Olivia's face turned white as a ghost's. "Maggie was her name. What happened to her?" The little girl seemed so sweet, and Olivia's heart began to ache at the thought of anything happening to the little girl.

"The father stabbed her mother to death then started to beat Maggie. Maggie escaped and took a sharp kitchen knife to her father's neck. He bled to death while a bruised up Maggie cried in the closet. A neighbor found her about twenty minutes ago and called 911. Maggie's at Mercy receiving treatment for her wounds."

"Oh, my God," Olivia gasped hoarsely. "And this is our fault, Amanda! We never should have bought the man's story. We could have prevented this!"

"Liv, there's nothing we could have done. The wife never complained…"

"…of course she didn't! Her husband was right there. If we would have questioned them longer, then we would have realized she was just scared of her husband…"

"Don't beat yourself up, Olivia. The man was about to call the police on us anyway. We would have been shooed away anyway."

"I see Olivia hasn't changed," Elliot said from the back seat. "You're always blaming yourself for crimes you had no control over."

"Shut up, Elliot," Olivia hissed, feeling a tear burn against the corner of her eye. The night alone had been an emotional rollercoaster for her without the case impacting her better judgment. A ghost from her past sat in the back seat. He was the one she'd spent twelve years dwelling, fantasizing, and dreaming about. He was the man who'd left her abruptly, breaking her heart, and she'd come to accept she'd never see again. But there he sat, acting like nothing had ever come between them, like they were still partners and she had no reason to be angry with him. He was lucky—and so was she—that Amanda had come along and had agreed to let him join them. If it had been just Olivia alone, she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to allow him to tag along.

The current setting brought back too many memories. It felt so odd, so out of place, so wrong. Elliot was supposed to be in the driver's seat. Amanda wasn't supposed to be here; she was in the wrong place. Yet, Olivia knew in her heart that Amanda was right where she belonged. It was Elliot who wasn't supposed to be here.

Elliot remained quiet the remainder of the ride, as did the two women in the front seat. Olivia's thoughts were racing, thinking about the case and about Elliot. She wondered when the girl's father had attacked her mother. John and Fin were outside the scene of the crime just an hour after Olivia and Amanda had been there. Had they just missed the attack? Did it happen moments after Cragen called? If only Cragen hadn't called when he had, then Munch and Fin could have saved this little family from tragedy.

She wondered what thoughts were going through Elliot's brain. Was he happy? He had what he wanted, after all, a free trip back to the SVU team without going through the loopholes to return to the squad. Olivia seriously hoped he didn't expect the squad to welcome him back with open arms. How was she going to explain his out-of-the-blue appearance to everyone else? Surely, Cragen in particular would want an explanation. She was fine with Amanda knowing, but as far as she was considered, no one else needed to know that Elliot Stabler had tricked her into meeting him through an online dating service.

They parked at the hospital and hustled into the hospital. Olivia walked brisk and fast, ahead of Amanda and Elliot.

She was met by Fin in the hospital lobby.

"Fin!" Olivia cried, catching her breath. "Is the little girl all right?"

"Liv and Amanda, there you – " Fin stopped when he saw the tall man standing next to Amanda. "What the hell are you doin' here, Elliot?"

"Just along for the ride. It's nice to see you again too, Fin," Elliot huffed.

"Man, you can't tell me you expected me to welcome you with wide arms and give you a brotherly hug," Fin said, scoffing. He looked at Olivia. "What's goin' on here, Liv?"

"It's a story that's too long for explanation now. How's Maggie? Is she okay?"

"Maggie's going to be just fine. She's scared shitless and has been asking for a Livvy and Mandy. She said she spoke to them earlier, so I'm assuming she's referring to you and Amanda."

"We've got to talk to her now," Amanda insisted, grabbing Olivia's shoulder.

"Maybe I should come along too," Elliot insisted.

"El," Olivia said in a stern and slightly annoyed tone. "You're not my partner anymore. Amanda is, and this is our case. Stay out here and chat with Fin."

She hoped Elliot wouldn't tell Fin the whole story of how they'd come across each other again, though if anyone else on the squad was going to find out, she'd prefer it Fin before any of the others. He always seemed to understand her. Though, Olivia couldn't help but notice the hostility in Fin's tone toward Elliot. Fin had picked up on the fact that Elliot hurt her when he didn't respond to her phone calls. She remembered a talk she'd had with Fin shortly after Elliot's departure. Fin had encouraged her to let Elliot go, that it was Elliot's decision to break off all contact, and she had to move on with her life, Elliot-less. It wasn't long after that conversation she'd begun dating David Haden.

Amanda and Olivia entered the little girl's hospital room.

"Mandy! Livvy!" the little girl exclaimed with excitement when the detectives entered the room. She was wearing a hospital gown and bandages covered her arms. Her face was clear of abrasions, besides a small bandage on her cheek.

"Hi, sweetie, are you okay?" Olivia spoke softly to the little girl.

"I killed my daddy," the little girl said. "I'm in trouble, aren't I? Am I going to go to jail?"

"No, sweetie," Amanda responded to the little girl. "You're gonna be just fine. You were just defending yourself."

The little girl began to cry. "Is my mommy okay? He hurt her and she was lying on the floor bleeding. Then he started to go after me. I didn't have a choice."

Olivia looked at Amanda. "No one's told her," Olivia whispered, realizing that Maggie wasn't aware that her mother had been murdered.

"Honey," Amanda kneeled down to the little girl's level. "Your daddy hurt your mommy really bad. I'm sorry, but she's not gonna wake up."

"No!" the little girl screamed, she began bawling. Olivia knelt down on the other side. "Livvy, tell me she's lying. Mommy has to take care of me otherwise I'll starve! I'm just a kid. I can't take care of myself."

Olivia put her arm around the little girl, who buried her face in Olivia's chest. A tear rolled down Olivia's cheek, as she looked across the bed at Amanda whose face emphasized a loss of words. Olivia stroked the little girl's back for the following minutes, until they were interrupted by a woman from child services.

"Hello, Detectives Benson and Rollins, I'm here to take Maggie to find her a home," the woman told the detectives.

"No! I won't go!" the girl screamed, gripping onto Olivia's jacket. The little girl's tearful eyes looked into Olivia's. "I wanna stay with you, Livvy. Please don't let her take me away!"

Olivia peered at the woman from child services. "I can take her in. I've fostered children before. If she wants to stay with me, I'd love to take her in." She looked at the little girl, who smiled weakly at Olivia. The little girl couldn't be more than five years old, quite a bit younger than Calvin had been. She'd never taken into her custody a child so young.

There wasn't a day that passed that Olivia didn't think about Calvin and hope he was doing all right. It was her motherly instinct. Even though she'd never had children of her own, she'd always felt a connection with the child victims. Truthfully, she longed so much for a child of her own.

When Olivia looked into Maggie's eyes, she saw nothing but a scared little girl. This little girl had killed her father, but only because she'd seen him hurt her mother. Surely, she didn't mean any harm.

"Detective Benson, if you're sure about this, I can arrange for Maggie to be placed in your custody," the woman from child services said. "You'll just have to sign some papers."

"I'm sure about this," she said, smiling at Maggie. "Bring me the papers and I'll sign them."

"I have them in my car. I'll go get them right now."

Maggie had stopped sobbing, but she still clung to Olivia's shirt. Olivia looked to Amanda.

"Are you sure about this?" Amanda asked. There was a certain doubt in Amanda's voice. Did Amanda not trust Olivia's parenting skills?

"Absolutely, but I really do need to talk to Elliot. I haven't been too kind to him tonight."

"I'm sure he has no hard feelings. From what you've told me, he's lucky you're talking to him at all," Amanda said, chuckling. Olivia grimaced then Amanda added, "If you want, I can stay here with Maggie while you talk to Elliot."

"No, don't leave, Livvy," the little girl whimpered. Maggie certainly had taken a liking to Olivia over Amanda. Olivia wondered if it was because Amanda had been the one to tell her that she was never going to see her mother again.

"I'm staying right here. Don't worry, sweetie," Olivia said to Maggie, then said to Amanda, "Can you go tell Elliot to come in here? I'm sure he'd love to meet Maggie."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I didn't expect to get this out tonight, honestly didn't. I think it was all the reviews that inspired me to write tonight. A warm thanks goes out to everyone who's reviewed. What did you think about this chapter? What will Olivia and Elliot finally talk about next chapter? How will Olivia react to having a child in her custody again? Will Olivia confess how she was reunited with Elliot Stabler to her squad, and how will they respond? There are so many questions to ponder! I don't know when I'll have time to write again since it's the start of another week, and my final projects' deadlines are approaching rapidly. I'm already using FanFiction as a mechanism for procrastination. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Maggie continued to snuggle against Olivia's shoulder after Amanda departed from the room.

"When can you take me home?" the little girl asked. "I don't like this bed. It's not comfy."

"Soon, sweetie," Olivia spoke softly to the girl, stroking the little girl's golden blonde hair.

A few years ago she'd moved from a one bedroom apartment to a two bedroom apartment. She'd found her guest room to be essentially important for when she had guests who needed a place to sleep. The room had been used for the longest amount of time by Calvin.

Not many others had slept in that room. That was the moment she had a sudden flashback of a time Elliot had showed up at her apartment at 3 a.m. This wasn't long before he'd left the squad, back when they were still partners. He and Kathy had just had a fight, and he needed a place to stay for the night. She'd given him her spare room.

In the back of her mind, she'd wanted to offer him her bed, but given their partnership, she felt it would be inappropriate. Besides, he was a married man. He was off limits.

_He's not married anymore_.

Olivia was quick to push that thought out of her head. _He hurt me, _she reminded herself. She'd left dozens of messages then shut his phone off without forwarding her his new number. He'd made no effort to contact her. How could she forgive him for the hours she'd spent crying herself to sleep?

"Hey."

Olivia was alarmed by the familiar voice that came from the man who stood in the doorway. She slowly released Maggie from her shoulder and stood up, crossed her arms and stared into the eyes of Elliot Stabler.

"Is this is my new daddy?" Maggie asked, yawning. It was late. The hospital clock that hung above the doorway read _11:05. _Clearly it was past the little girl's bed time. She crawled through the blanket and lay on her stomach with the hospital blanket still covering her. Maggie still wore a hospital gown.

Elliot Stabler smiled at the little girl. "My name's Elliot. I'm just an old friend of Olivia's. What's your name, honey?"

"My name's Magdolna Ada Aldridge, but everyone calls me Maggie." She gleamed at Elliot, already seeming to take a liking to Elliot. Olivia had always admired Elliot's ability to charm children. He was so good with them, but it probably had something to do with the fact that he was a father of five.

"What a beautiful name," Elliot smiled and turned to Olivia, his tone changed instantly to seriousness. "Amanda said you wanted to speak with me."

"Yes." Olivia felt her face redden as she felt she Elliot's eyes beating on her. She turned to Maggie. "Sweetie, Elliot and I are going to take a walk. I promise I'll be right back, okay?"

"Promise?" the little girl curled her lip. Olivia could read the fear in Maggie's eyes. She'd already been through so much, losing both her parents under such tragic circumstances. It pained Olivia to leave her side, but she knew that she needed to speak with Elliot privately.

"I promise, Maggie."

"Pinky promise?" Maggie held out her pinky, and Olivia held hers out too and joined pinkies with Maggie.

"Pinky promise."

Olivia exited the hospital room. Soon she and Elliot were walking down the hallway together. The hospital had emptied out, since it was so late. They passed a few doctors and nurses who were on call that night. Olivia felt out of place in the dress she wore. She was surprised Fin hadn't said anything directly to her about what she was wearing.

"So," Olivia said, trying to find the right words to say.

"You know, Amanda came out at the right time," Elliot volunteered. "I was just getting grilled by Fin. I guess I shouldn't have expected any less after how I left…"

"Oh? What'd he say?" Olivia asked, crossing her arms. Her feet began to ache as they walked. She wasn't young anymore, and she wore heels so infrequently that feet weren't used to the elevation. She was the same height as Elliot in her two-inch high heel.

"Asked me if I finally had gotten my head out of my ass and called you, or if we'd just ran into each other randomly. Then he asked why you were so dressed up…"

"What'd you tell him?" Olivia asked. "Not the truth, I hope."

"What do you think I am, crazy?" Elliot asked. Olivia turned and glared at him. He sighed. "Never mind, that was a stupid question. Of course you do."

"Don't take it too personally. It's hard to not be crazy after working SVU for so many years. But seriously, what'd you tell Fin?"

"I told him that I ran into you and Amanda chatting at a restaurant. I started talking to you guys and then Amanda got the call. I insisted on coming along."

"Great," Olivia said, looking at her apparel. "Now Fin's gonna think that Amanda and I have a thing going on."

"Well," Elliot said slowly, grinning. "You do have a habit of falling for your partners, no?" He gazed into her eyes, and her heart began to beat faster and faster. What was he suggesting?

"What's that supposed to mean, Elliot?" They'd stopped in an empty waiting area on the opposite side of the hospital where they'd met Fin.

They faced each other, still standing. Elliot neglected to answer her question right away, and Olivia's ankles throbbed. She just had to sit down, so she took a seat on the couch. She wasn't surprised when Elliot joined her. She leaned down and unfastened her shoes, removing her high heels. The tension instantly released from her ankles and feet. A relaxing sensation coveted her body.

"I never understood how you women could wear high heels for hours upon hours," Elliot sighed. "They look painful."

"You have no idea," Olivia sighed, turning toward him. He had his arm leaned against the board of the couch, his arm stretched behind her. "But you're avoiding my question. What do you mean that I always fall for my partners?"

"It was just a joke," Elliot said quickly. "I was just messing with you. No need to take everything I say so serious, gosh. You really haven't changed since I last saw you, Liv."

Olivia knew that he was lying through his teeth. She knew what he was getting at with his earlier statement. He was implying that she'd had feelings for him, and he'd known it all along. He just wasn't willing to admit it. Was it his own self-consciousness that he was wrong? Or, was there something else holding him back from being honest with her? Or, had Fin mentioned something to him? She'd murder Fin herself if he had.

"Elliot, I don't know what to say to you anymore," Olivia shook her head. "You left me. You were my best friend…"

"I know, Liv," he said softy, and he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. Her reflexes twitched. "And I can't ask for your forgiveness. But I hope you'll consider it. Amanda told me that you're bringing that little girl home, and you're going to need all the help you can get…"

"I can take care of her own my own just fine," Olivia insisted abruptly. "I took care of Calvin on my own, what makes you think that I can't take care of Maggie on my own?"

"Maggie's only five years old. Has she started school yet? Liv, I'm unemployed right now, and you have a job that requires extensive hours. Who's going to watch Maggie while you are at work? Eli is almost Maggie's age, and I have custody of him every other week. They'd be great playmates. I'm good with kids, and you saw how Maggie reacted to me in the room. She likes me, which is surprising given the fact she watched her father murder her mother. Most kids with abusive fathers are not partial to men. Face it, Liv, there's no one better to help you raise her."

Olivia listened to his ramble, and realized he had a point. But she didn't want to admit that he was right.

"Elliot, you're right, but…" she sighed.

"But what?"

"I just don't know. I want to give Maggie something that is as stable as possible. It doesn't look like she's had that. You and I…we're not, well…together, and I don't want to give her the false impression that we are. You already saw her ask if you were her new daddy."

"Well," Elliot began, "who says we have to give her a false impression? Besides, there's nothing more stable than the last name Stabler…" He chuckled lightly, and Olivia wasn't sure if she appreciated the humor.

He gazed into her eyes and she reluctantly gazed back. Her heart burned, not knowing how to respond to Elliot's question. She knew where he was going with it, but she didn't know how she felt about it. How could she willingly forgive him that easily? She was willing to possibly give him a chance to be her friend again, but she knew it wasn't a good idea to jump into such a relationship, especially one that involved children.

Could Elliot even be trusted now? People could change after a year and a half. Clearly, Elliot had changed, because a year and a half ago Elliot never would have made such a request. He would have offered to help her with Maggie, but he never would have insisted they enter a relationship for the sake of a child. Though, Olivia partially wondered if the child was the only reason. Did he have feelings for her? He was being so vague that Olivia couldn't tell. After all, he'd been the one to ask her out online. _But he'd just done that to force me to talk to him, right?_ She didn't know what to think anymore.

When Olivia didn't say anything, Elliot continued, "Liv, who better to raise a child together than you and me? We were partners for twelve years and best friends. We have a connection. We know each other."

"Had and knew," Olivia was quick to correct, then she sighed and looked away from Elliot as she spoke the following words, "El, you've just re-entered my life after a year and a half's absence. Now you're talking crazy talk of us being together as more than friends. Seven years ago I would have been ecstatic, but let's face it, we can't be more than friends for now… if we can even be friends."

* * *

**Author's Note: **To the person who insisted that I'd made this story predictable, let me just tell you: predictability isn't exactly my M.O. (if you check out most of my other stories, you'll see that), but feel free to think what you want. I'll just have to prove you wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I'm sorry for such a delay. I've been swamped with classes, and I know for a fact that this weekend is going to the death of me! (I have two papers due Monday and a video to edit for one of my classes.) If any writing (other than for school) is done this weekend, it's the result of pure procrastination and should not be occurring. So, don't expect anything until Tuesday at the very earliest.**

**I'd also like to send a prayer out to those who are suffering from Hurricane Sandy. The news is so devastating. I'm glad that it seems all SVU cast and crew are safe, and hopefully they'll be able to return to filming soon.**

**Also, one last note: I'm on Twitter now! Follow me _at __paisleywrites_ (:**

* * *

Olivia could feel the tension in the waiting room as the silence beckoned. She slowly turned her head to Elliot again. She hesitated to meet eyes with the man who'd been her partner for so many years. His blue eyes shimmered_, were those tears being held back in Elliot Stabler's eyes?_

"If we can be friends?" he broke the silence with a hoarse whisper.

"That's what I said," Olivia responded with a rasp in her voice. Her throat burned to speak, as she herself was holding back tears. She didn't want to get emotional in front of Elliot; she'd done that too many times in the past.

Nothing could change the fact that Olivia felt broken inside. _If we can be friends, _the words burned in her head. The words were certainly not to speak, because no one could understand how much she wanted Elliot Stabler's friendship back. She'd spent almost thirteen years entrusting Elliot with her life. Now, everything was different. Her world had been turned upside down when Elliot had disappeared from her life with no notice. She'd always known in the back of her head that he would return. As more time had passed, his return had become less of a reality, and she'd begun to accept the fact that she may never speak to him again, but there he was, right in front of her.

She had pictured this day for the last year and a half, but nothing could have prepared her for this reunion. She'd always figured Elliot would have the courtesy to call her one day out of the blue and surprise her. Or, he'd arrive randomly one day at the station. In fact, for the three months of his departure, Olivia had scoped the squad room for his face, hoping to one day look up from her desk to see him standing above her. That day had never come. There were days that she would lay awake in her apartment, crying, hoping that one day Elliot would knock on her door. In the early days of her partnership with Nick Amaro, every time Amaro had unexpectedly arrived at her apartment she'd hoped it was Elliot knocking on the door. Of course, every time she'd opened the door to a young Latino man. Her heart would secretly drop.

None of her Elliot-reunion fantasies led to a run-in with him on an online dating site. She'd run through dozens of script dialogues of the words she'd speak to Elliot when she saw him again, but she'd never scripted this scenario out.

Of course, Maggie wasn't in any of her scenarios, either.

Sure, Olivia had fantasized expressing her true feelings to Elliot over and over. She'd imagined telling Elliot that she loved him then had run both possible scenarios out. There was the scenario where Elliot told her that he could never see her like that, and he suggested they go their separate ways.

Then, there was the other scenario, the one that more commonly played in her head. It started him confessing that he, too, felt the same way about her. She'd then flirtatiously move closer to him and flutter her eyebrows. He'd gaze lavishly into her eyes, and she would profuse a gaze back. They'd stare emulously at each other, then finally their lips would meet and their tongues would finally lock as one…

"Liv, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you," Elliot whispered. "I-I can't imagine never being friends with you again. I never wanted to lose you as a friend."

Olivia shook her head, breaking herself from the fantasy. Her body quivered, and then she stood up, holding her shoes, and looking at Elliot one last time.

"You might not have intended to hurt me, but you did. If you didn't want to lose me as a friend, you should have called," she said, sternly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I made a pinky promise to Maggie. Goodbye, Elliot Stabler. " She inhaled a deep breath, getting herself together before she returned to Maggie. She turned around and began walking downward the hallway.

"Liv, wait!"

She turned back to see Elliot walking after her.

"Goodbye, Elliot Stabler," she reiterated. "Leave me alone."

"I'll call…"

"Don't bother!" she yelled back at him, walking faster and abandoning Elliot Stabler. When she reached Maggie's hospital room, she looked back to make sure she had lost him; and she had. A feeling of disappointment swept over Olivia, as she secretly wished that he had run after her. If he truly cared, he would have run after her. Perhaps she had been clear enough in her attentions that he had taken the hint. Part of Olivia knew it was for the best. Elliot Stabler had brought more pain to her internal self than any other person. Not even her own _mother, _a drunk who had made her life a living hell, had caused her so much pain. Though, she knew her mother's life had been made a living hell by a rapist, her father. No pain could match what Elliot Stabler had brought upon her, whether it was intentional or not was irrelevant.

She took a deep breath before walking into Maggie's hospital room, to ensure her composure was strong. Her shoes were still in her hands, and she knew that she'd better put the back on before going into the hospital room. She grunted as she leaned down to fasten her shoes to her feet. The tension in her feet returned instantly as she fastened the shoes around her ankles. That was the moment she came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to wear high heels for a long time.

Olivia then opened Maggie's hospital room to find Maggie sitting on the bed, fully clothed. Amanda and Fin were also in the room along with the woman from child services.

"Mommy!" Maggie cried, jumping off the bed and running toward Olivia.

_Mommy? _Olivia's eyes widened at the sound of the word spoken by the little girl. Her heart warmed and began to beat faster.

"There you are, Liv," Fin shook his head. "Maggie said you went off with a friend... Elliot, I'm assumin'."

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, we had a chat, and unfortunately he had to get going." She wasn't about to explain the truth to Fin. She turned to the woman from child services, "Do you have the papers I need to sign?"

"Yes, actually, do you mind stepping out in the hallway so we can chat, Detective Benson?"

Olivia looked down at Maggie, whose lip puckered. "I'll be right back, sweetie."

"But you just got back," Maggie whined. Her bright blue eyes glimmered in the light. Olivia hadn't noticed how blue Maggie's eyes really were; they were brighter than Elliot's. Maggie yawned; it was approaching midnight and was well past Maggie's bedtime. She needed a warm bed to sleep in.

"I know, honey. It won't be long before you can come home with me and sleep. Stay here with Amanda and Fin for a moment, okay?"

Maggie glanced at Fin and Amanda then sighed. "Okay."

Olivia stepped into the hallway with the woman from child services.

"Okay, give me the papers to sign so I can get that little girl home and in bed. She's been through enough today. Can't you tell she's exhausted?" Olivia was quick to insist once they were in the hallway.

"Detective Benson, I'm afraid it's not quite that easy," the woman said.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked quickly. She wasn't going to make this more complicated than it had to be.

"I'm sure you noticed, and I couldn't help to notice either, that Maggie called you 'Mommy'," the woman noted.

"Where are you going with this?" Olivia asked conspicuously. "The little girl just lost her parents and is in desperation for a motherly figure. I don't know why she chose me, but she did."

"I guess you do have a motherly instinct about you."

"I do?" Olivia asked, raising her brows. How could she possibly have a motherly instinct about her? She'd never had a child of her own. For much of her younger life, she'd been devoted to ensuring she never had a child. She didn't want to bring a child into this cold, evil world, especially with her genetics. Her mother was an alcoholic and her father was a rapist. Psychologists said that when you become a parent, you tend to mimic your parents' parenting. Olivia didn't want that. When she was younger, she'd been terrified of being a mother because of how she'd been parented. What if she turned into her mother?

_You're not your mother, Olivia, _she'd been told several times, though she was her mother's flesh and blood. Who was to say she couldn't turn into her mother under the right circumstances?

As she'd grown with SVU, worked cases with children, and watched her own partner's children grow, the more she desired to have a child of her own. Calvin had been the icing on the case. Calvin had made her realize how a child could complete her life. But Calvin was taken away; that was when she realized that maybe she wasn't meant to have a child. Calvin wasn't hers to begin with, though, and she'd known that. Calvin had a mother who wanted him back; although Olivia knew she was undeserving. Olivia knew she had no right to get attached to Calvin. Could Maggie be her second chance?

"Yes, you do. Detective Benson, that's not what I'm getting at. I want to make sure that you understand Maggie's placement with you may very well be temporary…"

"Her parents are both dead," Olivia said. "Maggie trusts me. You're going to place her with me only to take her away from me?"

"We're still searching for Maggie's relatives."

"Yeah, how's that going? Did Maggie mention any other relatives?" Olivia asked, knowing that if they'd already found a relative, Maggie wouldn't be going home with her tonight.

"When we asked her, she said she didn't have any. We've searched the family's history. So far, we've had no luck, but it's been less than 24 hours. We've forwarded Maggie's picture to the media. Someone could come forward…"

"And let's say someone does come forward. What are the chances that it's a family member that Maggie knows? You're saying it's better to place Maggie with a stranger than me?"

"Blood relation always has precedence in situations like these, Detective Benson. I'm just telling you not to get attached yet, okay? If attachment is going to be an issue, I'm going to have to place her in another home," the words caused Olivia's heart to sink to the floor. She should have known from the beginning that her custody of Maggie may not be permanent. In the back of her mind, she'd thought about other family members coming forward for Maggie. Maggie was such a sweet girl; surely she had some other family out there who would want her. Olivia's stomach lurched, remembering the emptiness she'd felt after Calvin had left her. Attachment had always taken a toll on Olivia.

_Attachment_, was that what she'd felt toward Elliot? It was. She'd become attached to Elliot, and that was when her feelings blossomed for him. Then he'd left her, and she'd been broken.

What would happen if she became attached to Maggie, then someone came to take her away? Was she emotionally stable enough to handle such a case? More importantly, was Maggie emotionally ready to handle that?

Regardless to whether she and Maggie could handle the proposed situation, Olivia felt that she would be hurting Maggie more by not taking her home tonight.

"With no disrespect, we've got a little girl in there who's just lost both her parents tonight under tragic circumstances. She already knows she's coming home with me, and I'm not going to break her heart again. It's so late and we're both tired. We'll be fine," Olivia told child services.

"Okay, you can take her home, but mainly because I don't want a little girl crying tonight." The woman handed Olivia the papers and Olivia filled out the paperwork, signing the documents. "Five-year-old Magdolna Ada Aldridge is now in your care, Olivia Benson. I'll be visiting your apartment tomorrow evening around 1 p.m., and if we do not find another family member within the next 48 hours, there will be a court hearing pending future custody of the child."

"Thank you," Olivia whispered. "Am I clear to take her home?"

"Yes, you are. Get some rest tonight, you look exhausted."

And that she was. Olivia couldn't remember the last time she'd been this exhausted. The whole seeing Elliot again had really drained her.

She entered the room and found Maggie lying on the bed, slumbering. Olivia hated to wake the little girl now, but she wanted to get Maggie home to a more comfortable bed. She looked over at Amanda and Fin, who both shrugged. Olivia pondered the conversation the two had while she was away. Olivia had a feeling she and Elliot had been the topic of conversation; she'd make sure to ask Amanda about it later, and perhaps she'd take some time to explain everything to Fin later.

Olivia approached Maggie and gently nudged her.

"Momma?" the little girl mouthed.

"Hey, sweetie, it's time to go."

"I sleepy," Maggie groggily mumbled. She was out. Olivia found herself smiling. She leaned and carefully picked Maggie up.

"You look zonked, Liv. I can take you home," Amanda offered.

"Really? Thanks for the offer, Amanda. I'd appreciate that," Olivia said to Amanda.

"Well, since you girls are off, I think I'm gonna hit the sack," Fin said. "You ladies have a safe night. Take care of Maggie, Liv."

"I will," Olivia promised, gently stroking the little girl's hair.

Olivia carried Maggie out to the car and placed her in the back seat. She took a seat up front with Amanda.

Soon after Amanda began driving, she asked, "So, what happened with you and Elliot?"

"It's a long story," Olivia sighed. "Not sure I want to get into it. What did you and Fin talk about while I was gone?"

"Not a whole lot. He asked me why you were so dressed up to go out to dinner with me…"

"…and what'd you say? Elliot told him that he randomly ran into you and me at a restaurant."

"Yeah, I figured that, so I said that I didn't know."

"He probably thinks I have a crush on you," Olivia chuckled, and Amanda laughed too. "You're great and all, Amanda, but I don't swing that way, just so you know."

"No offense taken, Liv," Amanda insisted. "But you do know that I'm here for you, right? I know that you said that you don't want to get into what happened between you and Elliot, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

"I know, Rollins. Thanks for the offer…you know, it's kind of nice having another woman around on the force to talk to. I've been surrounded by men for so many years."

"I'm glad to be of service to you," Amanda said sincerely as she pulled to the curb in front of Olivia's apartment. She was finally home.

"Thanks for the ride. I'll see you later. Child services is coming to check my apartment out tomorrow around 1 p.m., but I'll probably be in sometime tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it, Benson. I'm sure that Cragen will understand if you take a day off. You _can _take a personal day, you know?"

"_Personal day_, those are foreign words to me. Have a good night, Rollins." Olivia said, getting out of the car and taking Maggie from the back seat.

"You too," Amanda said with a sigh, shaking her head at Olivia's comment.

Olivia carried the child to her apartment, managing to pull out her keys and unlock the door with the child still in her arms. She brought Maggie into her spare bedroom and laid her down on the bed. The little girl continued to slumber in a deep sleep. Olivia lightly kissed Maggie on the forehead and whispered, "Home sweet home, Maggie."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Okay, so I'm on-track with homework, so I thought I'd take a break and surprise you all with an update… **

Olivia was brought to consciousness by a loud cry. Her eyes shot open, and she glanced at the clock. _7:00 a.m. _She'd been asleep for five hours, though it felt like her eyelids had only closed seconds ago.

She pushed away the covers and jolted into the hallway. There she found a frightened Maggie, face covered in tears. "Mommy!" the little girl cried, flying into Olivia's arms, and Olivia heart sunk. As much as she was honored that the little girl was so quick to consider Olivia her mother, Olivia knew that she could not continue to let the little girl call her "Mommy." Olivia reminded herself of the conversation she had with child services the night before. The conversation was faint in her memory, since she'd been so tired by that point, but she still remembered it. Maggie may not be Olivia's forever, and Maggie needed to know that.

"Sweetheart, everything's okay," Olivia stroked the little girl's soft hair as Maggie sobbed into Olivia's shoulder. Olivia Benson knew that she needed to approach this conversation slowly with Maggie.

"I was so scared!" Maggie sobbed. "I woke up, and I didn't know where I was! The last thing I remember is being at the hospital. How'd I get here?" Maggie bright blue eyes peered hopelessly at Olivia, and Olivia scooped the little girl up in her arms and carried her into the living room. The little girl was so light; she couldn't be more than forty pounds. Olivia gently placed the little girl on the couch and sat next to her.

"Well, Maggie, after you fell asleep, Amanda and I brought you here. This is my home," Olivia smiled at the little girl.

"Oh. Where's Mandy now?"

"Well, she's probably at her home," Olivia laughed.

"Oh. I don't like Mandy anymore," Maggie said in a very serious tone, and Olivia raised a brow. Maggie crossed her arms.

"Why not, sweetie? Did Amanda hurt you?"

"No. She said my momma died…" Maggie said, curling her lip and looking at Olivia with sad eyes.

"Maggie," Olivia said slowly, trying to think of the right words to say to the five-year-old. "Who's your mommy?"

"My mommy used to be my momma, but she died. So now you're my mommy, right?" Maggie answered. Olivia's heart ached for Maggie. Words could not describe how adorable this little girl was. How could anyone hurt her?

"Sweetie," Olivia began slowly. "Your momma is still your mommy, even though she's no longer here. Don't you think she'd be sad knowing you were calling someone else mommy?"

"But I live with you now, and you're going to take care of me, so that means you're my mommy," Maggie answered.

"Maggie, baby, I don't know how to explain this, but…there's a chance you might not live with me forever…"

"But I don't want to live with anyone else. If I can't live with my momma, I want to live with you. Please don't leave me!"

"Honey, I'm not going to leave you on purpose, but I might not have a choice…the lady that was there at the hospital, you know? The one who said you could come home with me. She's the one who gets to say if I get to keep you or not."

Tears started to roll down Maggie's cheeks. "But that's not fair."

_Life isn't fair, Maggie_, Olivia thought, but didn't speak out loud. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Maggie and whispered, "I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep you, sweetie."

"Promise?" Maggie whimpered.

Olivia swallowed and whispered back, "I promise." She blinked trying to hold back her own tears, as Maggie's bled into Olivia's pajama shirt.

"Mommy," Maggie began.

Olivia sighed and softly answered, "How about you just call me Olivia for now? At least until we know if you get to stay with me, okay?"

Maggie stuck her lip out and sighed, "Okay, but can I call you Livvy?"

Olivia laughed lightly, thinking of the last time she had been called _Livvy_.

"_Bye-bye, Livvy. I love you." five-year-old Olivia Benson waved at her Grandma Benson as she departed the apartment complex with her mother. Her mother's face was full of fury. Olivia's face was full tears; she was sad because her mom and grandma had been yelling at each other. She hated when they yelled, but lately it seemed like all her mom and grandma did was yell at each other anymore. She didn't know why they had to yell. They'd tell her to go play, but did they not know that she could hear them from the other room? Why did grown-ups have to be so mean to each other? _

That was the last time she'd seen her Grandma Benson, who'd passed away three months later. Olivia later came to realize that she and her grandmother were arguing over Serena's alcohol abuse. Olivia's grandmother was persistent on Serena seeking help for the sake of her daughter. Grandma Benson had threatened to take Olivia away from Serena, but then she fell ill suddenly. Sometimes Olivia wondered what would have happened if her Grandma Benson had lived longer. Her grandmother was the only one who'd ever called her Livvy.

Olivia smiled down at Maggie. "Of course, sweetheart, you can call me Livvy."

"Okay, Livvy!" Maggie giggled then said, "I'm hungry."

"When was the last time you ate, Maggie?" Olivia questioned the little girl.

"Ummm, I don't know."

"I bet you are hungry! Let's see what we have in the kitchen."

Olivia vaguely remembered what was in her kitchen. She remembered making a trip to the grocery store sometime last week, and she'd hardly been home over the last week. Surely there was something edible for the little girl to eat. She looked in her refrigerator to find an unopened bottle of orange juice.

"Do you like orange juice, Maggie?"

"Yummy!" Maggie cried. "Do you have Cheerios?"

"Let's see," Olivia said, looking through her cupboards. She could have sworn she'd bought some Cheerios not too long ago. Sure enough, she found a box of whole-grain Cheerios on the last cupboard on the right. "Yes, indeed I do."

"Yay!" Maggie exclaimed. Olivia poured the little girl a bowl of Cheerios and a glass of orange juice.

"I don't have milk, though, for your cereal…"

"That's okay. I don't like milk in my cereal. Ew!"

Olivia laughed, grateful for Maggie's taste buds. Though, she had to admit this was the first child she'd met who didn't like milk in their cereal.

Maggie had begun devouring her food when Olivia heard her phone vibrate from her coat, which had been thrown over a chair the night before due to Olivia's exhaustion and failure to take the time to neatly hang her coat up.

Olivia reached for her phone, expecting a new text message or call from someone on the squad, informing her of the latest details. Instead, she was alarmed to see that the vibration had been a notification from the dating site application she'd been using. _I need to uninstall that, _Olivia thought but decided to read the message before uninstalling the application.

She clicked on the app and her heart sunk immediately when she saw the author of the message. _LostandHopeless. _

_Why? _She thought. _Why must he torture me like this? I told him to leave me alone, so he should have the respect to do so. _Had she really thought that he'd give up on her that easy? Honestly, she had.

Her heart fell to the floor as she read Elliot's message.

_Dear Olivia,_

_You told me not to call, but you didn't tell me not to message you here. I know it's a long-shot, since chances are you'll be deleting your profile from this site soon, if I know you well enough. Nonetheless, I hope you'll take the time to read this message before deleting your profile._

_I was wrong to not call you, and you have every right to be upset at me for it. Hell, I would be mad at me too. I've spent much of the last year and a half being mad at myself. I killed a little girl, Olivia. You have no idea what that's like. But this isn't about you. This is about me. _

_You don't have to forgive me; you don't have to talk to me ever again; you can forget that we ever met if you choose. I was the one who threw our twelve years of partnership away. But if I know you as well as I think I do, you don't want that. It almost killed you to run away from me last night, didn't it? You put on a strong face for everyone, but you're secretly dying inside. You've always been like that, and yet it's one thing (of the many) I've always loved about you._

_Liv, there's something you need to know, something I'm not sure I even realized until we were apart. I realized something about a year ago…I realized that I never truly loved Kathy. I cared for her, yes; she's the mother of my kids. The only reason we got married was because she was pregnant, though Kathy is a wonderful woman, but when I was away from her, I hardly missed her. When we were separated, I missed my kids, but I didn't miss her. When I was with her, I found myself thinking about you constantly. It didn't feel right, and it didn't make sense, but now it all does._

_Kathy isn't my soul mate, Olivia. You are. I love you. And somehow I have the feeling that you feel the same way. (Or, maybe I'm wrong and am making a complete fool of myself.)_

_Please, Olivia, give me another chance. I know I've hurt you, but I promise if you give me a second chance, I will never hurt you again._

_Sincerely,_

_The Man behind the Screen _

Olivia's heart was racing by the time she finished the message. She'd walked out of the kitchen and into her bedroom so Maggie couldn't see the tears that soaked her face. What was she supposed to do now? She'd just read the most heartfelt letter in the world. Elliot Stabler had poured his heart to her, and Olivia didn't know how to respond. He was damn right about everything in the letter; all the way from how it had killed her to leave him last night, to how she'd felt about him all these years. She wanted him to know that he wasn't making a fool of himself, that he couldn't be more right. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to reply to him. If she didn't reply, then he would never know how she felt, and he would just assume that he was making a fool of himself. Oh, he had no idea.

But she still questioned if he was worth trusting. _I promise I'll never hurt you again. _How many men had spoken those exact words to her? She couldn't even count them all. Elliot Stabler should know better than to use that line.

The clock read nine o'clock, and child services was going to be there in four hours. She had a five-year-old little girl in the kitchen who would be wondering where she'd disappeared to.

Olivia stared at her phone, searching for the words to respond, but she couldn't. Though, Olivia knew she could not escape that message forever.

Her phone buzzed in her hand. Her heart jumped, wondering if it was another message from Elliot. No. This time her phone read _Incoming call from Fin. _What did he want?

She answered before the phone buzzed twice. "Benson. What's up, Fin?"

"Liv, you're not gonna believe this…"

"Believe what?"

"CSU sent evidence from Maggie's parents' apartment to the crime lab. M.E. has reason to believe that Maggie's father may not have murdered his wife."

Olivia's heart stopped. Why would have Maggie lied?


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: If you don't like EO, don't read this story; it's plain and simple. I'm not much of an EO shipper myself. In fact, this is my first EO story. Before you criticize me for pairing them together, please take a trip to my profile. If you don't like a story's pairing, then go find a story that pairs the characters you like together. If you don't like those stories, then write your own. However, I do feel that anyone who believes Elliot never cared about Olivia has never experienced forbidden love. I can speak from personal experience here: sometimes distance and separation is the best cure for forbidden love. That's one reason I believe Elliot hasn't returned her calls, but nonetheless, we won't know unless Elliot or someone in his family guest stars on the show. We have no evidence to support that he and Kathy are still together. Until then, we have FanFiction to ponder what might have happened/might happen. With that being said, here's the next chapter. Since we set our clocks back today, I woke up extra early and managed to have time to write before my group meetings. **

"What?" Olivia managed to form the word, still stricken by shock. "Why does the M.E. think that? Huh? You are not going to tell me that little five-year-old girl has lied. Come on, Fin, let's be real here." Olivia felt her blood rush to her head; her face flushed beet red.

"Lab did an analysis of the two knives found on the scene. The father's prints are not on either of the knives, but guess whose prints are?"

"Maggie's," Olivia whispered.

"Correct."

"There's no way, Fin. That little girl isn't capable of killing her parents. You saw her at the hospital. She's so sweet and innocent. The lab must have made an error."

"I'm sorry, Liv, but you know that's not likely. There's one more thing…"

"What?"

"Lab found a second set of prints on one of the knives…"

"The mother's?"

"No, an unidentified set of prints. We ran the prints through the system and found no match. Cragen wants you to bring Maggie in for questioning. There's a possibility there was a fourth person in the room when Maggie's parents were killed. Maybe she's covering for someone."

"I can't do this to her, Fin," Olivia said. "Can't I just talk to her here? She's been through enough already. I don't want to put her through the stress of an _interrogation_."

"Liv, she's five. You know we don't interrogate five-year-olds. He wants someone else to question her. You're too close to her, Liv."

"And she'll talk to me!" Olivia said with an exasperating sigh. "She already doesn't like Rollins for being the one to break the news of her mother's death to her. She's a little girl, Fin."

"We've questioned thousands of child witnesses in the past. Maggie is no different, Olivia. Bring her down, please. Don't force us to come and get her. For God's sake, Liv, you of all people need to be cooperative with us!"

She sighed. "Okay. You win. We'll be there as soon as possible." She clicked off the call before Fin could respond. Her hands ran through her hair and she pulled her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. Last night's make-up had run all over her face. Her hair was scattered all over the place. She needed to fix herself before she even began to think about leaving for a public location.

_Maggie, crap_, she'd left Maggie alone in the kitchen. She'd okay for a couple more minutes, right? Olivia quickly threw on a pair of black slacks and a blue polo shirt. She grabbed her hair brush and ran it through the knots in her hair. Already she looked less of a mess. She ran in the bathroom and washed the make-up off her face and reapplied it. There, she was good to go.

Somehow she'd managed to get ready in five minutes. That wasn't a record, though. There had been times she'd been awoken in the middle of the night and had managed to be ready in three. She was a pro at "getting dressed fast" and still looking like she'd spent hours on her make-up. With practice came perfection.

She ran out to the kitchen to find Maggie still sitting and eating her breakfast.

"Livvy, you got dressed! What am I going to wear? All my clothes are at my old mommy and daddy's house."

And of course Olivia didn't have any clothes that would even come remotely close to fitting the little girl.

"Good question, Maggie. Well, I guess we'll have to stop by the store and find you something to wear. Do you want to take a bath?"

"And put my dirty clothes back on? Ewww."

Olivia couldn't help but smile at the adorable "gross" face Maggie made when she said, _"Ewww." _The little girl was so adorable; how could she possibly have anything to do with her mother's murder? Maggie's eyes twinkled at Olivia, eyes full of compassion. How could such an adorable child be lying to her? If the lab reports were indeed correct, which Olivia knew in her that heart they were, Maggie was harboring a dark secret. Was she protecting someone? Or had she in fact been involved in her mother's murder as well? Olivia was praying for the first option.

"Maggie, we're gonna take a trip down to my work station, okay? My friends have some questions for you. On the way, we'll stop at a store and get you some clothes."

"Okay," Maggie said, "but what questions do I have to answer? I already told them everything."

"I'm not really sure, Maggie, but we'll see," Olivia lied to the little girl. She didn't want to upset Maggie yet. It was bad enough that she was being dragged to a police station for questioning like she was some perpetrator. Though, Olivia knew that whoever questioned her wouldn't attack her like an adult suspect. She was just a kid. They'd go easy on her, she hoped. Whenever they questioned child victims, Olivia was always the first sent to talk with them. Children, especially young children, would open up to women before men. That's why One Police Plaza was so insistent on always having one woman at Special Victims Unit. Now, for the first time since Jeffries left, SVU had two. Though, Olivia had a feeling that Maggie wasn't going to be willing to open up to Amanda Rollins, especially after what Maggie had said this morning. Maggie hadn't said anything about Fin, though Olivia was certain Fin had questioned her before Olivia and Amanda had arrived. Nick was pretty good with kids, having a daughter around Maggie's age himself. John rarely went near the child victims; face it, he'd probably scare her. John was like family to Olivia, but he just wasn't the type of guy she'd leave her kid alone with. Not because she didn't trust him, but some of his 'jokes' weren't acceptable for children.

Ultimately, Olivia just wanted the best for Maggie. Over the past twelve hours, she'd developed a connection with the little girl. Fin was right; she was too close to the child. She kept referring to Maggie as a victim in her head, not even taking note to the fact that Maggie could be a _suspect_. She was a victim in Olivia's head until proven otherwise. Though, one thing was for certain, Maggie did know who had killed her parents.

Maggie was done with her breakfast, so it was time to make a quick stop at the little clothing store down the street. Olivia had been in it a few times, but she'd never bought anything. The store was home to some of the cutest kids clothes. Sometimes Olivia liked to walk around the kids section just to see some of the cute clothes. There were times she would imagine how she'd dress her child if she had one. For the first time, she had the chance to actually dress a little girl up.

She and Maggie picked out a cute sweater and jeans that were on sale. Olivia also made sure to buy a package of little girl underwear, since she was fairly certain Maggie wouldn't want to wear the same underwear every day. She also grabbed a pack of socks. They ran back to Olivia's apartment and Maggie decided to take a bath after all, before changing into her clothes. By the time Maggie was bathed and dressed, an hour and a half had passed. Olivia was combing through Maggie's hair when her cell phone buzzed again.

"Benson." Olivia held the phone up to her ear and continued to comb Maggie's hair. She couldn't remember the last time she'd done a little girl's hair. When she was in elementary and middle school, her best friend and she had always done each other's hair. It was hard to believe that was thirty-five years ago.

"Where the hell are you, Benson?" Cragen's voice entered her ear. "Fin told me he called and you said that you'd be here as soon as possible."

"And I'm on my way, Captain. No worries, I had to go get Maggie some clothes. Hey, do you think it would be possible for CSU to get some of her belongings from her place? I'm sure Maggie would appreciate that."

"Benson, we've got greater issues to worry about here. Get your ass down here now, and that's an order." She could tell Cragen was furious with her, and she knew that he had every right to be. Olivia just wanted to savor this moment for as long as she could. She didn't want to believe that Maggie was the least bit responsible for her father's death.

"I'm on my way, Captain." Olivia said, placing the comb down and admiring her work.

"Good, oh, and I'm not supposed to tell you this, but there's someone who's been here all day waiting for you. Fin told me about last night, by the way. Now get your ass here." Cragen ended the call in fury before Olivia could offer a response. Her heart was racing. Someone was there waiting for her? She didn't even have to guess who that person might be, based on Cragen's comment about Fin telling him what had happened the night before. _Wasn't the message enough? _She thought, remembering the message she'd read early that morning. Now, he was stalking her work? Though, that really wasn't a challenge for him to do, considering he knew her well enough to know that she didn't take days off. Truth be told, Olivia had actually planned on going into the station today, just not under these circumstances. She'd planned on calling her good friend Alex Cabot to see if she was available to baby-sit after child services had come. She and Alex still talked on a regular basis, and Olivia was aware that Alex had decided to cut down to a part-time case load at the DA's office. She'd married last spring and wanted more time with her husband; now she was four months pregnant with her first child.

It was already eleven o'clock and child services was supposed to be at her apartment in two hours. However, Olivia suspected that they had alternative plans to take Maggie away from her, now that she was a possible suspect in her parents' murder. Surely child services had been alerted of the most recent findings.

She called a cab. Even though she had a car, she rarely used it. With the rising prices of gas, it was almost cheaper to take a cab in the city.

Forty-five minutes later she and Maggie arrived at the station. It was noon.

"Hold my hand," Olivia whispered, clasping Maggie's hand. There was a crowd of people like usual in the station house, and Olivia didn't want to risk losing Maggie among all the people. If word had gotten out at all about Maggie's father's prints not being on the knife that had killed her mother, then Maggie's life could be threatened by anyone believing she was someway responsible for her mother's death.

When they arrived in the SVU squad room, everyone seemed to be gathered around waiting for them. Olivia's eyes wandered, looking for Elliot, but she didn't see him. Where was he hiding?

"Look who finally showed," Amaro laughed.

"Let's not waste any time now," Cragen said, looking at Amaro. "Nick and Amanda, I want you to go chat with Maggie now."

"Captain—"

"Liv, my orders," Cragen said in a calmer tone.

Nick kneeled down and looked into Maggie's eyes. "Hi, Maggie. My name is Nick. We're going to go to a room and talk for a little bit, okay? I just have a couple questions for you. Amanda's going to come with me."

"I don't like Amanda," Maggie crossed her arms and continued to cling to Olivia's hand. "Can't Livvy come with us and talk instead?"

"Uh, Maggie," Nick looked at Olivia and sighed. "Livvy will be right out here, so don't worry. We need to have a private conversation. I promise everything will be all right."

"I'll talk to you, Nicky, but not if she's in the room," Maggie pointed specifically at Amanda.

Amanda's eyes widened. Nick looked at the captain, who nodded. Maggie hesitantly released her hand from Olivia's and followed Nick into the interview room.

Cragen looked at Amanda once they were out of an earshot. "What the hell did you do to that girl?"

"Nothing, Captain, I swear!" Amanda responded, appearing shocked by Maggie's apparent hatred for her.

"She doesn't like you because you're the one who told her that her mom was dead. If I'd been the one who'd told her, she would've hated me too," Olivia told Amanda.

"Right…I don't know about that. She seemed to take an instant liking to you over me, Liv. I don't know what it is about you."

"Trust me, I don't either," Olivia sighed and looked at the captain. "Where is he?" Captain Cragen knew exactly who Olivia was referring to.

"My office. He figured you'd be upset if he was the first person you saw when you first walked in, and that's why he didn't want me to tell you that he was here. If you'd like, you can go talk to him in private in my office. I'm going to listen in on Nick and Maggie's conversation. Please, Olivia, hear him out. He told me everything this morning," Cragen's previous angered tone had diminished, and a calm, fatherly voice had taken over.

"I think I need to listen on the interview, too. He can wait. What if Maggie needs me?" Olivia was quick to shut out the fact that Elliot had been waiting for her all day.

"Look, if Maggie needs you, we'll come get you. Okay, Liv? Please, go talk to Elliot now. Don't make me order you." Cragen was persistent in his instructions.

Olivia frowned and sighed. She felt like a twelve-year-old again. "Fine."

**Follow me on Twitter: paisleywrites**


	10. Chapter 10

**Warning: EO! Don't like it, don't read it. Also, sorry for the delay, but this last week was the craziest week of my college career!**

She braced herself in preparation for coming face-to-face with Elliot Stabler for the second time in less than 24 hours. Unlike their last meeting, she had time to take a breather before facing him. Why was he being so persistent now? Elliot Stabler had never been so upfront with her in the past. He was always so insistent on keeping his personal life apart from her. _She was no longer his partner. _There was no longer a need for the bridge between personal life and work life.

Still. He'd had almost two years to confront her, yet he hadn't made the slightest effort to even call her during that time. Olivia wasn't buying the "I was afraid you wouldn't talk to me" story, because if he knew her as well that he claimed to, he should have known that she would have opened him with wide arms under any other circumstance. _Or would she have? _Nonetheless, he had no right to use the internet to trick her into meeting him. There were no excuses, and Olivia wasn't about to let it go that easily.

Olivia opened Cragen's office door to find Elliot Stabler, but he wasn't alone. She'd been so distracted in the squad room that she had failed to notice that two SVU squad members were missing. John and Fin were standing on opposite sides of Elliot Stabler.

"Well, well, look who finally showed!" Munch beamed at Olivia.

She rolled her eyes like a teenager. That's exactly how she was being treated, and she didn't appreciate it the slightest. As far as she was concerned, now that Elliot was out of the picture, she was SVU's most decorated police officer. She didn't like to boast about it, but she knew it was true. Olivia really had begun to feel her "age" to the station after Elliot had left. Many asked her how she did it; it wasn't 'normal' per say to stay at SVU for so many years. Truth be told, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stay at SVU as a detective without Don, John, and even Fin, who started at SVU the year after her. Lately, many had asked why she didn't go for a promotion. She'd considered it, but she couldn't imagine herself at any other place right now.

"What's up?" she asked, lost for words.

"Oh, we're just catchin' up with our homeboy, Elliot," Fin said. "He's been tellin' us some interesting stuff, y' know."

"Oh?" Olivia raised an eyebrow, wondering what _interesting_ stuff Elliot could possibly be telling John and Fin. Her heart began to pick up its pace, as she could sense awkwardness in the room.

"Fin, don't you think we should be going and let these two talk?" John began heading toward the door, and motioned for Fin to follow.

"Yeah, guess so," Fin nodded and then placed his hand on Liv's shoulder, whispering in her ear, "Don't be too hard on him. Hear him out before you judge him too harshly again."

Olivia's heart raced, wondering exactly what Elliot had told Munch and Fin. Moreover, she wondered what he had told the captain, who insisted Elliot had told him "everything."

She stood dumbstruck as Munch and Fin left the office. There she was, alone with Elliot Stabler in the office that had belonged to Donald Cragen for fourteen years. Elliot's eyes were beating on her.

"Elliot," she mumbled.

"Olivia," was his response. "Did you get my message?"

"I did," she answered quietly. Elliot's face turned white; his eyes wandered, failing to meet with Olivia's. She could sense the awkwardness in the room.

"Why now?" Olivia mouthed.

"Liv, I've told you everything from the bottom of heart," Elliot said. He now gazed into Olivia's eyes. His voice was sincere, but her natural suspicions still ran. "I'm a guy…we don't always think clearly, and we're horrible at expressing our feelings to the women we care about."

"Okay, I'm not buying the 'I'm a guy' excuse," Olivia said quickly.

"I'm sorry, Liv. I've wasted too much time already. I've been a fool. I know, Olivia. I understand why you're angry with me, and I honestly expected no less. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I think it's important that we be honest with each other. If it so happens we can't be friends anymore, I want us to at least end with all the spider webs cleared up."

"Elliot," she began, feeling her eyes beginning to water. "When I said I wasn't sure if we could be friends anymore, I didn't mean ever…I meant…I just need time…I need to learn to trust you again…after everything."

"I know, Liv, and I understand…"

"So why are you here?" Olivia whispered. "This isn't giving me time…coming to my work and talking to Cragen, Munch, and Fin? Here you are, forcing me to talk to you again…first the dating site, now this?"

"I'm here because I don't want to lose you again, Olivia," Elliot said. "That's why I sent the message and came here right after. I talked to Cragen, told him what was going on, including the fact of where we reconnected…I knew that he would help me talk to you. It may have been a desperate move, but I couldn't let you go that easily…" His eyes were red and swollen. Olivia sensed he was hiding back tears. Elliot Stabler was holding back tears? She couldn't recall a time she'd seen Elliot cry. Anger was the emotion he expressed so frequently. Olivia had hardly seen Elliot's sentimental side during their partnership.

"I'm not going anywhere," Olivia was quick to respond. She didn't care that Elliot had told Cragen about the internet dating site. Cragen of all people would understand her intentions, considering what he'd done earlier in the year. "I'm right here."

Elliot gave her his quirky grin. "That you are."

"I guess I don't understand why it's so important that we talk now," Olivia said. "If you really wanted to talk to me, you could have run after me at the hospital…"

"I left because I knew you had bigger issues to deal with at the time, and I wanted to allow some time for you to cool down. And I wanted time to think about what I was going to say to you," Elliot said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And I don't have bigger issues to deal with now? Surely Fin and Munch have filled you in on the latest of what's going on with Maggie."

"They have," Elliot nodded. "And I'm sorry, Olivia. I can't imagine what you're going through now. I know you were looking forward to possibly adopting Maggie…"

"She didn't have anything to do with her parents' murder," Olivia said flatly. "And, I probably wouldn't be granted the privilege of adopting her anyway. After you left, the woman from child services told me that they're still looking for possible relatives that could take Maggie. They take precedence over me. Besides, who in their right mind would allow me to adopt a child? I was declined eligibility, remember?"

"Liv, you know that the agency that declined you is wrong. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you'd make a wonderful mother. You're great with kids and you know it. No one deserves to be a mother more than you, and I'd gladly vogue for that to anyone who would listen," Elliot said.

"It doesn't matter," Olivia was quick to retort. Tears were stinging against her eyes. "Elliot, what's this about? Is what you said in your message true?" She couldn't even bring herself to repeat the words she'd read, still stunned in disbelief.

"They are," Elliot said quietly. He moved closer to her. "Liv, I don't want to waste any more time dawdling around my feelings. There's not a day that goes by I don't think about you…"

"…you should have called."

"I was a coward. I was afraid, scared, horrified that you would react exactly how you did. Liv, life's too short to stay angry at me. The past is the past, and all we have to live for is the future. I've loved you for too long, longer than I've realized it. I find myself wondering…wondering if things had been different?"

"Wondering if what things had been differently?" Olivia questioned. Elliot was less than a foot's distance from her face now. The familiar scent of his cologne lingered in her nose. Memories flooded through her head.

"I wonder what would have happened if it had been you that I'd met in high school instead of Kathy. You know, Kathy and I had only been together six months when she got pregnant with Maureen. We were so young and so stupid…if it hadn't been for Maureen, you know, Kathy and I never would have been married…sometimes I wonder what would have happened if…"

"…you hadn't gotten her pregnant?"

He released a sigh, and nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I love Maureen and all my kids with my entire heart. I wouldn't change my kids for the world. I just can't help but wonder how things would have been if I hadn't been attached when I started at SVU."

"Nothing would have been different," Olivia said. "You were my partner, and I don't mix my work and personal life…"

"What about Cassidy?"

"Are you implying we would have had a one-night stand if you weren't married? That's all Cassidy and I ever had, and it was the worst decision I've ever made during my career. But I was drunk and not thinking clearly. You and Kathy were split for almost two years and nothing happened between you and me…" _  
_

"For part of that time, you left me…"

"…I was undercover, Elliot. That wasn't my choice. Did you and your temporary partner, what's her name, ever have a thing?"

"Dani Beck," Elliot's eyes widened. "Liv, it's all the past. None of it matters. I want to forget the past and move into the future. And…God, I want nothing more than for you to be part of my future. You're a huge part of my past…you're a bigger part of my past than Dani Beck could ever dream of being."

"You're avoiding the question, so I'm assuming there's something you're hiding. If we're really going to be honest with each other, Elliot, we need to be honest about everything."

"But it doesn't matter, Olivia…" She eyed him, and he sighed. "We shared a kiss, but it meant nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Her heart sank. During all the years of their partnership, she'd never shared one kiss with him. He'd been partnered with that woman, Dani Beck, for just a few months, and he kissed her. Olivia could recall walking in the station on that first day that she'd returned from being undercover. She'd come face-to-face with Dani Beck. She'd known it then that something had gone on between Elliot and that woman; Olivia could sense it in the woman's eyes. Jealousy had flooded through her veins right then and there, as she told Cragen that she wasn't ready to return. She'd then insisted Cragen not tell Elliot she'd stopped by.

"You're right," Olivia sighed. "It's the past. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't need to know that. In fact, I wish I didn't, now."

"I don't want there to be any secrets between us now, Olivia," Elliot said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Elliot," Olivia began, wiping her tears away. "I fell in love with you within the first month of our partnership. When you left SVU and didn't bother to contact me, I felt my world fall apart."

"I'm sorry. Liv, if you give me a second chance, I promise you…I'll never let you down again. I'm here with intentions to stay by your side. I don't want to return to SVU. I like my life where it is now, it's just missing something…and that something is you."

A tear ran down his cheek, and tears continued to uncontrollably gush from her eyes. She fell into his chest and let her tears soak into his shirt. "Elliot, you're not the first guy to promise to never let me down again…how can I trust you?" She tilted her head and beat her eyes into his bright blue eyes. She'd only been this physically close to Elliot Stabler once, and it had been when she'd visited him while he was undercover. She'd staged herself as a prostitute to save his life and had shown herself in a bra and underwear. That memory was secretly one of her favorite moments during her partnership with Elliot Stabler.

"Let me prove it to you," Elliot whispered, looking wholesomely into her eyes. He leaned closer and their lips met for the first time. Olivia's eyes closed, savoring the moment and paying attention to what it felt like to kiss Elliot Stabler. Her heart raced faster than it ever had when any other man had kissed her. She'd never experienced this emotion before. Maybe it was because she'd spent so many years fantasizing about this moment, though she'd accepted the fact that it would never happen. Her muscles tightened and she moaned with the pleasurable sensation that throbbed throughout her entire body.

Their lips parted and she stared speechless into Elliot's eyes. His arms were latched around her waist and her arms were around his shoulders when the door swung open. Fin stood before them.

"Liv…" Olivia jerked herself away from Elliot, placed her hands on her hips, and felt herself blush as she stared into Fin's wide brown eyes. "Well, it looks like you two have made up. Happy for you guys…anyway, Cragen wants you in the interrogation room, Liv."

"Is Maggie all right?" Olivia was quick to worry about the little girl. Had Nick been too hard on her? Nick normally was good with kids, but he was still relatively new to SVU; and his anger reactions were often worse than Elliot's.

"She's become unresponsive to all questions regarding her parents and has broken into tears. Cragen thinks you're our last hope to getting any information out of her."

Olivia nodded and smiled weakly at Elliot. "If you want to wait…"

"I'll be here," Elliot said, smiling.

**- Twitter: paisleywrites**


	11. Chapter 11

Olivia thought she had pulled herself together, but apparently she hadn't. She followed Fin to Cragen, who was observing the interview through the one-sided window. Nick and Maggie could be seen through the window. Maggie's face was flustered with tears.

"Liv, there you are," Cragen said, but when they met eyes, his eyes widened. "Are you okay, Liv? You look like you've been crying."

"Everything seemed fine when I entered the room," Fin testified, with a smirk on his face. Cragen raised a brow at Olivia.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Olivia released a sigh and looked in the interview room.

"I want Livvy!" Maggie was whining. "I'm not talking to you anymore."

"So, I take it you've got nothing out of her?" Olivia inquired toward the captain.

"The minute Nick brought up her parents, she started bawling and asking for you. Liv, you're our last hope at getting anything out of her. She's completely shut Nick out now, too."

Olivia shook her head, sighing. What had she done to make Maggie so partial to her? She may never know. Olivia didn't view herself as anything special, but for some reason kids always seemed to take a liking to her. _Yet, she was denied eligibility to adopt. _Although the agency's reasoning was logical. She worked long hours. How did she have time for a kid? Of course, if she had a child, someone to love her as much as she loved them, then maybe she wouldn't have to work such long hours. Olivia hated going home to an empty apartment, which was the reason she dedicated her life to the job. Moreover, she hated being alone. At work, there was always someone she could talk to. For years it had been Elliot, but over the last couple years she'd grown partial to Nick and Amanda, and she had developed a much closer friendship with Fin. Of course, there was Don and John, too.

"I'll try my best," Olivia said, trying to force a smile at the captain. She wanted to know just as bad as the rest of the squad what had happened in that apartment yesterday. Whatever it was, Olivia was certain that Maggie hadn't murdered her parents. She'd only spent part of the day with the little girl, but Olivia had seen psychopaths; and Maggie wasn't a psychopath. If she was, she was the world's youngest psychopath and a damn good actress.

Olivia was reminded of a story Elliot had told her years ago, about a little girl who Dani Beck—the name made Olivia shudder—had grown close to and brought home for a night. The little girl had then gone on to set Dani's curtains on fire. Sure, anything was possible, but Olivia saw nothing but an innocent, sweet, confused little girl when she looked into Maggie's eyes. Olivia knew that Maggie had a dark secret, but it wasn't that she'd murdered her parents.

She opened the interview room and Nick beamed, "Olivia's here, Maggie."

"Livvy!" Maggie's sad face instantly turned upside down. Her eyes were still red and shiny from the tears. She pounced from her chair and wrapped her arms around Olivia. Olivia bent down and scooped the child into her arms. She sat next to Nick with Maggie on her lap.

"Now, Maggie, I'm under the understanding that you're upset. What's wrong, honey?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Maggie crossed her arms and buried her face into Olivia's chest.

Olivia glanced at Nick, who shrugged. He then stood up and said, "Maggie obviously doesn't want to talk to me, so I think I'm going to get out of here. Nice meeting you, Maggie."

Maggie didn't respond to Nick, who then exited the room.

"Can we go back to your place?" Maggie peered at Olivia.

Olivia set Maggie on the chair next to her and replied, "No, sweetie. We need to talk about some things first, okay? You need to help me understand something."

"I don't know anything," Maggie whimpered.

"But you do, honey. Your daddy didn't hurt your mommy, did he?"

"I don't wanna talk about it, Livvy. Please don't make me," Maggie's tears started to roll again.

"Maggie, I know this is hard to talk about. But you have to, baby. You know something, I know you do. Just tell me, sweetie."

"I can't tell you! He said he'd kill me too if I told!" Maggie said, crying. She set her head down and buried her arms around her face. _She's been threatened, _Olivia knew she was right, and there was a fourth person involved.

"Who, sweetie? I promise you, he can't hurt you. I'll protect you, I promise. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." Olivia gently rubbed Maggie's shoulders, hoping that Maggie would open up.

"He said that he'll break out of jail if the police pick him up. I'll always be in danger," Maggie said.

"Who, Maggie? He won't be able to do that, Maggie. The security guards won't let him, I promise you. I'll make sure he's in jail forever and will never be able to hurt you again."

"People break out of jail all the time. I see it on TV."

"TV isn't real. It's just for fun. Maggie, you have to tell me who hurt your parents, so I can make sure he never hurts you again. Otherwise, he's going to be out on the streets and he might hurt someone else."

She started to cry harder and harder. "It was my big brother, Mikey! Please don't tell him I told you!"

Olivia hugged her arms around the tearful child. "It's going to be all right, Maggie. Tell me, baby, what did Mikey do?"

_She has a brother? _Why hadn't that been uncovered when they'd been searching for Maggie's relatives? Olivia knew that she had to speak to Cragen soon. Although, she was certain that someone on the outside was searching for Maggie's alleged brother now.

"He came over right after you and Mandy left. I told him the police were at our place and he started yelling and calling my mom and dad names. He called them _whores_. I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound nice. I was scared, so I went in my room and hid. The yelling stopped. I thought Mikey had left. That's when I opened the door and found my dad lying on the floor bleeding. I didn't know what to do. Then Mikey came out of the kitchen with two knives in his hands. He started coming near me and I ran back in my room, because I thought he was going to hurt me too. I ran in my room screaming. He was holding me down on the bed with the knives in his hand. I tried to grab the knife from his hand, but he jerked it away from me. He then placed the other one in my hand. He told me that when the police came I had to tell them that Daddy hurt Mommy, so I hurt Daddy. I didn't wanna do it, but he said he'd kill me too if I didn't." The little girl cried harder, falling into Olivia's arms. "Mommy always told me never to lie. Am I going to go to jail too?"

"No, honey. The only one who's going to jail is your big brother. My friends are tracking him down right now, I promise. You've done the right thing, sweetheart."

The door opened and Cragen stood, waving for Olivia to come outside.

"I've got to go talk to my captain, Maggie."

"Don't leave me!" Maggie whimpered, clinging to Olivia.

"Bring her along," Cragen said, motioning them over.

Olivia held Maggie's hand as they exited the interview room. Olivia's eyes widened when she realized Cragen hadn't been the only person watching them. The window was now closed.

"You were at the hospital!" Maggie said when she saw Elliot. She still clung tight to Olivia's hand. "You're Livvy's friend."

"That's right, Maggie. It's good to see you again. I'm Elliot, by the way."

Maggie bashfully hid behind Olivia when Elliot spoke to her.

"Actually, I was thinking, Maggie, while Olivia and her friends track your big bad brother down, you and I could go get something to eat. You have to be a hungry girl, right?" Elliot kneeled down and smiled at the little girl. _He's a lifesaver, _Olivia thought, hoping Maggie would go along with Elliot. Olivia's anguish and resentment toward Elliot Stabler had faded. Although, she was sure Don and Elliot had planned this out, to get Maggie away from the station while they tracked down the brother. It was the perfect plan.

"Yeah, a little. I haven't eaten since breakfast. I had cereal at Livvy's."

Elliot smiled, giving Olivia a look as though he wasn't surprised that was all Maggie had eaten while at Olivia's place. He'd always made fun of how she never had any food in her apartment. Elliot held out his hand, and Maggie grabbed it. "Well, what are you hungry for, then?"

"I like pizza," Maggie replied.

"You know, that's my little boy's favorite food, as well," Elliot said, chuckling.

"You have a kid?" Maggie asked.

Elliot smiled and laughed. "I have five kids, actually. Though, four are all grown up. My youngest is around your age."

"That's cool!" Maggie appeared intrigued. Elliot glanced at Olivia and smiled.

"Thank you," Olivia mouthed at Elliot. Elliot's sky blue eyes glowed at Olivia, and he grinned.

"It's no problem. We'll be back."

"I'll call you first to give you the okay," she said, not wanting for Maggie to walk into a bad situation. It was just second nature for her to tell Elliot she'd call him. Then, she realized something. "Wait, El, I don't think I have your number anymore."

"Yeah, I changed it. I'll call you quick and you'll have it."

"Wait," Olivia suspiciously raised an eyebrow. "You still have my number?"

"Assuming you didn't change it, anyway."

She hadn't. Elliot pulled out his phone and seconds later Olivia felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She reached for her phone to see _Incoming Call from Unknown Number: 212-555-3213_. And she smiled, as if this was the official mark of Elliot Stabler returning to her life.

Elliot and Maggie waved goodbye and disappeared moments later. Olivia turned to Cragen. "So, what do we have?"

"The minute Maggie mentioned the brother's name, Munch was on the computer tracking him down. Turns out Mr. Aldridge was married before he married his current wife, Maggie's mother. He had a son from his first marriage, Michael Douglas. Michael is now sixteen and lives with his mother. Munch and Fin are on the way to the mother's house now to pick Michael up for questioning. If this checks out, your gut was right. Olivia, Maggie was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"This is just so disturbing. I can't imagine being Maggie. God, I want to kill this kid so bad."

"Keep in mind, he's still a minor. The kid is only sixteen."

"Surely he'll be tried as an adult, right? He brutally murdered his father and step-mother in cold blood!" Olivia cried.

"DA's office has been called and the ADA should be here soon. One can only hope so, if he is indeed responsible for the murders. Warner's already running the prints to see if they're a match to the second set of prints we found on the one knife. However, we still don't have an explanation as to why Maggie's prints are on both knives, and this kid's prints may only be on one knife."

"He wore gloves? Maggie said she tried to grab the knife from him, so that would explain why her prints were on one knife. She also said he placed the knife in her hand. He was trying to frame her. He could have been wearing gloves, which would have shielded any finger print evidence from being taken. Maybe he grabbed the one knife without gloves on, realized he would leave finger print evidence, tried to wash the knife but failed to wash away the full print, then put on gloves and killed his parents!"

"Liv, and this is why you're a detective… we may never know exactly what happened, but once Fin and Munch question him, we'll have a better idea."

"Let me do it," Olivia insisted. "I want to get to the bottom of this myself and give this bastard a piece of my mind. Who frames a five-year-old for murder?" She was furious. Though, none of the perpetrators that were brought in made sense. Some were more understandable than others, but this one just was sick. The cases that involved children always tugged at her heart the most. This one especially hurt, because she'd developed a personal relationship with Maggie.

"A psychopath. Liv, you know that I can't let you in that interview room. You're too attached to this girl. Let Munch and Fin handle it. You can observe with me."

She sighed and nodded, though she didn't agree with the captain's decision.

Twenty minutes later Fin and Munch returned, cuffed beside them was a teenaged boy. He had dark hair and dark eyes, sharing no resemblance to his half-sister. A hysterical woman followed behind. It was obvious that the boy had received his genetics from his mother.

"You can't do this! He's a minor! He didn't hurt anyone. His no-good-bastard-of-a-father is the only criminal here."

Cragen stopped the woman. "May I help you? I'm Captain Cragen, and you are…"

"Maria Douglas, your detectives have arrested my son under unjust circumstances. They said he murdered my ex and his wife!"

"Ma'am, can you verify your son's whereabouts yesterday afternoon?" Cragen asked the woman.

"He's a teenager. He went to school, and then I'm guessing he probably went to hang out with some friends. I can't keep track of him at all hours of the day. Do you have teenagers, Captain?"

"No, I do not."

"Then, you can't possibly understand how hard it is to parent one. Please, let me see my son."

"Since he's still a minor, by New York State law, you are allowed in the interrogation room with him." Cragen directed the woman to the interrogation room and Olivia followed.

"She seemed pretty convinced her son wasn't involved," Olivia said, after the woman was settled into the room with Fin, Munch, and her son.

"She also seemed very unaware of where her son was yesterday," Cragen noted. Their eyes and ears were directed through the observation window. Olivia had stood in this spot many times before, but more often than not she was in the interrogation herself. It was a different world in the observation room. Sometimes she felt like she was watching a horror movie.

"What kind of brother frames his five-year-old sister for murder?" Munch was asking.

"I didn't do shit, so I don't know what you're talking about. That girl isn't my sister, as far as I'm concerned. Just because we share the blood of a manwhore, doesn't mean she's my sister. She's a whiny lying brat is what she is. I wouldn't believe a word that child says. She's just like her mother."

"Your step-mother, you mean?"

"I bear no relation to that woman."

"Michael, tell us where you were yesterday afternoon."

"Around," the boy shrugged.

"Would 'around' be the definition of your step-father's apartment?" Munch asked.

"My boy doesn't go over there," Mrs. Douglas insisted.

"Mrs. Douglas, we're interrogating your son. Not you, so please let your son answer the questions," Munch told the woman.

"My mom's right, I don't go there," the boy said. "My dad's supposed to have visitation, but I haven't gone to my visits since I was thirteen. I couldn't bear to go over there anymore…"

"Why's that?" Fin asked.

"It's none of your business. It's … personal."

"No, I think it is very much our business. Do tell, why wouldn't you go over there anymore?" Munch insisted.

"Detective,"

"It's Sergeant," Munch corrected.

"Sergeant, would you want to go to your father's house if you had to go to sleep every night listening to the _noises _coming from your father's room, especially knowing that the woman he was with wasn't your mother? I mean, the noises were bad enough. I was thirteen when I finally realized what they were doing, and I couldn't stand it anymore. That's why I quit going over there."

Ms. Douglas looked dumb-struck. "Michael, you never told me…"

"I figured you wouldn't want to hear it. It was bad enough that I had to…" Michael said softly.

"So, let's get this straight. You went to your father's house, heard the police had been there, and then you murdered your father and step-mother out of disgust?" Munch asked.

"Who do you think told Maggie to call the police?" Michael sneered.

"Huh?" Munch and Fin both looked confused.

"Maggie called me in tears while I was in school. She said loud scary noises were coming from her parents' room and she thought our father was hurting her mother. So, _I _told her to call the police. I knew what they were doing, and I wanted them to suffer for what they'd done. It was bad enough that I had to endure the noises…I didn't want Maggie to suffer what I'd gone through…"

"I thought you didn't consider her your sister?" Fin noted.

"I didn't, but that doesn't mean I couldn't relate to her…I used to share a room with her when I spent the night. She was only two when I quit coming over on a regular basis, but she still calls me all the time, usually when her parents were _too busy_ to pay attention to her."

"Did your father ever hurt you or Maggie, physically?" Fin asked.

"Ew, gross, no. He never touched us. He only touched _her_," Michael said, referring to his step-mother.

"Michael's father left when he was five. Five years later, he was married and has a new baby on the way. Michael never liked this woman, but I had no idea…no idea what was happening while my son was in their care. If I'd known, I never would have let him visit his father." Mrs. Douglas stroked her son's shoulder, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I went over to Dad's place to see if Maggie was all right. She told me she called the police, but he said that everything was all right, that Dad hadn't hurt her mom…I lost control, knowing that it was just going to keep on happening…and I wanted to do something before Maggie was old enough to realize what was really going on."

"Michael!" Mrs. Douglas cried. "Don't say another word. We're getting a lawyer."

"I took two knives from the kitchen, and then I realized that prints could be tracked to me if I didn't have gloves on…so, I grabbed some of the plastic gloves out of the drawer. Dad and she were still in the bedroom…they didn't know I was there…she was an easy target. So feeble and weak…" an evil grin took over Michael's face.

Olivia's stomach lurched and she turned around. Casey Novak was standing behind her, and she hadn't even noticed.

"Long-time-no-see, Casey," Olivia greeted the Assistant District Attorney.

"Yeah, I'm back…and, God, this is sick. Of course, having sex in the privacy of your own home, whether your children are home or not, isn't a crime unless they're watching. There's no crime against hearing noises…"

"It's clear this boy has no remorse for murdering his father and step-mother," Cragen said, glancing through the glass. Michael had continued to confess.

"I almost feel sorry for him, but I have no remorse for the fact that he framed his five-year-old half-sister. If he was really looking out for her, he wouldn't have done that."

"Once a jury hears this sob story, you know they're going to want to go lenient on him," Casey said. "But, given the crime, there's no doubt in my mind that he should be tried as an adult. He murdered his father and step-mother in cold blood."

"This case is yours now, Casey," Don said. "Do what you have to do to get justice."

"For Maggie," Olivia added. "All I want is justice to be served for Maggie."

"We need to get him to plead guilty, so there won't be a trial," Casey said. "Then, the little girl won't have to testify in court."

Olivia's heart raced, terrified at the idea of putting that little girl on the stand. She was emotionally a wreck, the way she had closed Nick and Amanda out so quickly. Who knew what would happen if she was placed in front of a jury. The only two Maggie seemed to trust were her…and Elliot.

Cragen placed his hand on Olivia's shoulder and whispered, "Liv, call Elliot and fill him in."

She nodded and stepped outside the observation room. She began heading toward the elevator, figuring she'd meet Elliot and Maggie wherever they were. Her gut instinct told her that they hadn't gone far.

She clicked to her missed calls on her phone and highlighted the last call she'd received, then she pressed "Call."

"Stabler." Elliot answered after one ring.

"Hey, El. It's Liv…" Was this déjà vu? "You're not gonna believe this…"

And suddenly everything felt like it was back to normal, though Olivia knew in her heart that nothing would be the same again. Elliot Stabler was no longer her partner in crime, but he was her partner in life. Was it destiny?

As for Maggie, Olivia knew there were still plenty of hoops she would have to jump through to get permanent custody of the child. Though, with Elliot's help, maybe, just maybe, she would have a shot. Perhaps she would become a mother after all. She could always dream, right?

THE END

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. I really appreciate it. I know you all wanted Maggie to be the world's youngest psychopath. I will confess, as I was writing earlier chapters I kept getting images of the little girl who set Dani Beck's apartment on fire. **

**I do have two questions for you guys, though:**

**1) Would you be interested in reading a story called **_**The Woman behind the Screen**_**, which would be this story taken from Elliot's point of view.**

**2) Would you be interested in reading a sequel to this story? I'm not going to make any promises yet, because I have yet to fulfill sequel requests. However, I do have a sequel in mind that would follow the aftermath of this story. **

**Stay tuned for more! My next mission is to update **_**Second Chance**_**, which I placed on hold to finish this story (since I knew it would take less time to finish this story than that story). **


End file.
